Pain
by tam356
Summary: There's some strange things going on in Lauren's mind and she is damaged, whose gonna be there to save her? Read more to find out x
1. Chapter 1

A/N

Hi, so i have a new joey/Lauren fanfic coming up later, I didn't plan on doing another yet but this idea came into my head and I ended up writing it down and here I am. So I'll be back around 8:30 with it:) Xx


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter one**

"I fall in love with you every day, Lewis Brown" Lauren smiled, straddling him on her bed.

"I'll make you happy, I promise I'll never let you down like I did before, I love-" Lauren began, before being interrupted.

. .

"What do you want?" Lauren snapped.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? I know your going through a rough time and you've been in there since you got home from college. Who are you talking to?" Tanya asked worriedly, outside Lauren's room.

"I'm fine, just doing homework mum, and that was just me singing" Lauren lied.

Tanya snuck a look in Lauren's room quickly, satisfied she weakly smiled at Lauren.

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "Go!" She snapped. "Are you going to let her speak to you like that? Lauren heard max say.

"She's going through a rough time max, you know with Lewis and that" Tanya told him.

Lauren rolled her eyes from the other side of the door, she walked back towards her bed where Lewis was laying.

She stopped and smiled at him, his cheeky smile and his sparkling blue eyes, that's what got her the most.

"Where was we?" Lewis smirked at her. Lauren climbed into the bed and lay next to him, resting her chin on his stomach, staring up at him.

Lauren let herself feel Lewis' hand stroking the back of her head, slowly lulling herself to sleep.

Before she knew it, she was being woken by the sound of her annoyingly loud alarm clock, waking her up for college.

She groaned, turning around in her bed. Although that turned into a smile as she saw Lewis still laying next to her.

She smiled at him as he complimented her, she loved it when he did that.

"Oh crap! I'm late for college" she said jumping out of bed and getting dressed.

Lauren quickly got herself ready, throwing her hair up in a doughnut bun, her purple dress and black tights going onto her body in record time.

"Bye baby, wait here, don't move okay? I'll see you after college" Lauren told him, leaning down and kissing his lips, after Lewis had pulled her on top of him.

Lauren smiled and left her room, running downstairs. "Lauren are you okay babe?" Her dad asked her.

"If you left me alone for five minutes i would be, now I've gotta go I'm late for college" she snapped.

"Do you want a lift-" he began before the door slammed in his face.

"Take that as a no then" he mumbled.

"Lauren! Lauren wait up!" Alice shouted, running from across the street.

Lauren turned around and smiled at her cousin. "You late as well?" She laughed.

"I had a load of trouble last night, my mums sending joey to come and pick me up tonight!" Alice groaned.

Lauren furrowed her eyebrows at Alice. "Whose joey?" Lauren asked. "Ah he's my older brother" she said.

"Oh, ay how come I didn't know I had another cousin lurking around" Lauren smirked.

"Well if what I heard right, we'll be seeing him very soon" Alice sighed. "Look Alice you don't have to go anywhere with him, I'll speak to him and tell him your staying" Lauren said firmly.

Alice chuckled and they walked to the bus station. "Don't listen to anyone at college yeah? You weren't in the wrong, Lewis was" Alice told her.

Lauren had no clue what Alice was saying but nodded anyway.

When Lauren and Alice got to college everyone was staring at Lauren. "Lewis is dead because of you and your lies" someone muttered as they walked past Lauren.

"What the hell?" Lauren shouted. "Lauren! Low profile yeah?" Alice snapped.

"Why they saying Lewis is dead, he stayed at mine last night and I woke up with him this morning" Lauren said to a dumbfounded Alice.

"What" Alice choked. "Ah late for class, bye" Lauren said running.

Alice's colour drained from her face, there was something seriously wrong with her cousin, she just be in denial or shock because Lewis was dead, he died two weeks ago.

**Leave a review please. What do you thinks** **going on? Xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter two.**

"This is not who I am. I used to be talkative and friendly, even funny... and I don't think I can ever go back to that." Lauren sighed to herself, sat alone in her room after college.

Her tablets had wore off and she knew she'd messed up.

She'd admitted to Alice that Lewis had been at her house, she was high on medication after spending three months in a mental health clinic, she though maybe she might just be a little better.

But no.

Not even a little bit. She was a mess, because of these tablets.

Lauren heard shouting from outside her window, she swallowed some paracetamol for her banging headache before glancing through the window.

She saw some guy dragging Alice into the road, then her uncle Derek running over to them.

Lauren gasped.

She was just about to run outside before she noticed her empty packet on her bed.

"Oh no" she snapped to herself. She had just taken her tablets instead of paracetamol by accident.

She shook her head and ran downstairs and out of the house.

She flew down the steps and over to Alice. "Hey!" Lauren snapped grabbing Alice's arm and pulling her out of the mans grasp, surprising the stranger and Derek too.

"And you are?" The guy cockily asked.

Very cockily.

"None of your fucking business" Lauren snapped, moving Alice into her hold.

Alice and Derek both let out a chuckle, but Alice stopped as the guy glared at her.

"So whose this? Some dickhead of an ex boyfriend?" Lauren asked.

"Ew! No!" Alice screeched. "I'm her brother, so like I said.. And you are?" He asked.

"Hm so you're joey?" Lauren asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm.." Lauren stuttered. "I'm lau-" she stuttered again.

Lauren figured her tablets were starting to kick in, because she saw Lewis across the street, staring back at her.

"Lewis" she heavily breathed out. "Bit of a weird name for a girl ain't it?" Joey asked.

"Go get max." Derek told Alice, who shot of across the road.

"Lauren your okay" Derek told her, holding her into his side.

Lauren started to visibly shake. "Lewis Lewis Lewis" she repeated slowly, before getting faster and faster.

Joeys hard, confident ego seemed to settle down as he saw Lauren breaking down in front of him.

This was the girl that had put him in his place so confidently, then in a matter of seconds she was falling apart.

What?

"Is she alright?" Joey asked as Alice got back with max in tow.

"She's ill" Alice told him, she watched his face carefully, he was showing a different side, now the joey she had last seen six months ago was different, unless he was.

No he couldn't be? Could he?

He couldn't be falling for out cousin?

"Who are you?" Max asked, bringing joey out of his thoughts.

"I'm joey, Alice is my sister" he mumbled, not being able to move his eyes away from the girl in front of him.

Max nodded once and looked at Lauren again.

"This is our uncle max joey, and our cousin Lauren" Alice quickly announced, so she could break him out of any thoughts he was currently having.

"Oh"

Alice raised both eyebrows. "Yeah" she warned.

"Do you want some help?" Joey asked max, seeing him struggle to pick Lauren up, she was crying at this point and shaking too.

"Please, it's just I've got a bad back" max told him.

Joey sweeper Lauren up into his arms, bridal style, in just one swift movement.

Derek smiled at his son proudly; he may not wang to get to know him as a father but he could still be proud, all the same.

The three of them walked over to Max's house and joey offered to take her upstairs.

Once up there he laid Lauren on her bed. He watched her face calm after ten minutes, and she seemed to settle in her sleep; only for her to keep moving back and forwards. She made the weirdest faces before moaning and crying in her sleep.

Joey hold both her hands in his and it seemed to settle her.

It seemed that even in her sleep where nobody could harm her; her demons could still reach out and hurt her.

"What's wrong with you ay?" He whispered, more to himself than anything.

Joey shook his head, he wasn't one for being nice or emotional.

He chuckled.

He didn't do anything like that.

Joey walked out of the room shaking his head, what was wrong with him.

**I hope that answers some of you confusion. If not then I'm sorry, more will be revealed about what's been happening in the next couple of chapters:)  
Leave me a review please. Xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter three**

_Forget what hurt you, but never forget what_ _lesson it taught you - unknown_.

Lauren opened her eyes, she found she was in her room, not quite remembering how she ended up here, last she remembered she was having a break down in the square.

"Oh god" she sighed, adding an eye roll.

Nice one Lauren.

"You remembered then?" Max asked. Lauren turned her head to where he was sitting, on the edge.

Lauren nodded at him once, no emotion whatsoever on display.

"Didn't I tell you to ignore your mum Lauren? You shouldn't be taking those tablets, they make you see things that aren't there, make you feel things that aren't real" max told her, almost in a begging whisper.

"I know" she said, her voice breaking. "Why'd you take them then?" Max asked her.

"I took them because I had headache, I got them mixed up with the paracetamol" Lauren sighed.

Lauren looked up at her dad as he leant in and hugged her and then let out a chuckle.

"I'm sorry that's not funny" max said shaking his head, trying his best not to laugh.

Lauren narrowed her eyes at her dad. "Shut up" she laughed.

"Lauren?" Tanya shouted from the other side of the door.

Both Lauren and max glanced at each other and max nodded his head at her.

"Yeah?" Lauren asked. Tanya walked through the door but stopped and stared at max and Lauren when she saw them both sat on her bed together.

"Leave her alone max, she don't need you filling her head with stupid ideas, she's got enough going on already" Tanya told him, shooting him a nasty glare.

"Mum" Lauren sighed. Lauren was sick of the arguing, it was driving her crazy now, and she knew it couldn't of been easy on Abi or Oscar either.

Max and Tanya weren't even living together anymore, yet still Tanya managed to make his life a living hell, were his children were concerned anyway.

What Lauren went through, the 'accident' people tended to call it, that was the last straw for max, he wasn't about to see his little girl suffer anymore.

So he got the 'men in white coats' to come and pick her up, and yeah Lauren hated max for that but after she had done her stint in there, she was on the road to recovery, not completely but she was getting there.

Three months in the clinic had done her well, she had a new friend in there which she hadn't told nobody about because her mum would go nuts if she though Lauren was mixing with those sort of people.

Also, max, Derek and Alice were the ones that were really there for her. Tanya got some pills of an unknown supplier, Lauren didn't think nothing of it and she took them, her mum had told her to and you can trust your mum can't you?

Apparently not in Lauren's case.

These pills, they were to make Lauren forget the pain, to forget everything that had happened to her.

But all the pills did was take her back to before the accident. Although she wasn't in a bad place, the pills made her mind think she was happy, just happy all the time, happy with lots of friends and happy with Lewis; although in reality that wasn't how it panned out, not at all.

In fact; it couldn't be further from the truth.

"No Tanya you leave her alone, your messing with her mind" max snapped.

"Excuse me?" Tanya frowned. "I'm making her better" she snapped.

"No" max sarcastically chuckled. "Your luring her into a false reality, this life you making her think she has it's not real!" Max shouted, losing his temper.

Derek, Alice, Abi and joey waited outside the bedroom door.

Derek sighed to himself leaning against the wall. He knew what was going on and he was siding with his brother; they only had Lauren's best interests at heart.

"Tanya's making her forget?" Alice whispered to her dad. Derek nodded.

"Well that's just fucked up ain't it" joey said. "Sshh!" Alice said to him.

"You ain't stopping here with all these weirdos Alice!" Joey said taking her arm.

"There my family! There yours too, don't you care?" Alice snapped.

"No, no I don't Alice" joey chuckled, not believing the words spilling out her mouth.

"I saw how you looked at Lauren son, she was breaking down right in front of your eyes and it hurt you" Derek told him.

"You may have fooled Alice but you will never fool me, Derek" joey hissed.

"He's right, you like Lauren, you've already got a connection" Alice smirked.

"No your wrong, she's a mental case and she's my cousin, that would be wrong on so many levels" joey said.

"Can't help how you feel joey, and it's not like the two of you grew up together is it?" Alice asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Joey raised an eyebrow at the both of them, does that mean they would be okay with him dating his cousin?

Joey was soon snapped out of his thoughts by the person herself.

"SHUT UP!" Lauren screamed. She fled out the room but stopped seeing her cousins and uncle.

"Lauren how dare you walk away from me" Tanya snapped, as her and max followed her out of the room.

"Oh come on Tanya, leave the poor girl alone" Derek told her, pushing Lauren behind him.

"Let her go" Tanya asked. "Leave her alone Tanya" max snapped. "Your making her health worse" he sighed.

"Let's see shall we" Tanya said raising an eyebrow. "Lauren? You have two choices, you stay here and you live by MY rules or you go with your dad and live by his rules" Tanya said, smirking.

"Mum" Lauren sighed. "Answer me Lauren, now" Tanya snapped.

"Listen, I love you your my mum but what your doing to me, it's not right-" Lauren began but Tanya just simply held her hand up to Lauren and turned to go in her room.

Lauren's bottom lip fell and everyone awkwardly looked at each other. "What are you doing Tanya?" Max asked.

"I'm packing your daughters bags!" She snapped. "Wow the woman's insane" Derek laughed.

"Dad" Alice hissed. "He's got a point" Abi said. Everyone turned to look at Abi surprised, she had always took her mums side over this because she didn't know the facts.

"I'm so sorry Lauren, I didn't know everything what mum was doing, nothing. Go with dad, do things right" she smiled.

"Thanks abs" Lauren smiled. Lauren fell onto her bottom as Tanya threw her bags at her.

"Mum!" Abi snapped, shocked at her actions.

Lauren's eyes watered as she attempted to get back up. Alice and joey just stared at Tanya in shock the whole time.

Joeys attention turned to Lauren on the floor, she was helpless.

Lauren's gaze turned to joey as he held his hand down and bent down slightly.

Her mouth went almost dry and all of a sudden her hand went sweaty, what was this? She'd never experienced this feeling before.

She was scars what may happen if she took his hand, was it a trap?

His warn smile told her otherwise though, so she reached out and took his hand, smiling back at him as she spotted his dimples.

"Alright?" Max smirked, breaking them both out of their little moment. "Er ye" joey said stubbornly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Yeah" Lauren said clearing her throat, running her fingers through her long hair, as a distraction.

Alice and Derek locked eyes, smirking as they did.

"Well go on then, clear off the lot of you" Tanya snapped. "I wanna say bye to Abs first" Lauren said. "You made your choice Lauren" Tanya said.

"when did you become so twisted?" Abi snapped from her bedroom doorway.

"Excuse me young lady" Tanya asked raising an eyebrow.

"I said" she began. "Yes I know what you said" Tanya told her. Abi shrugged her shoulders.

Nobody even noticed Abi disappear but here she was stood in the doorway with her own bag.

"What do you think your doing exactly?" Tanya asked.

"Going home" she simply said, before walking down the stairs. "See what you did Lauren?" Tanya scowled.

"Come on Lauren" max said, following Abi down the stairs, followed by Alice and then Derek.

"You watch Lauren, when this reality gets too much for you, you'll beg me to take you back" Tanya told her.

Joey stood in front of Lauren. "No she won't, because she has her family to help her" joey told Tanya.

"Oh and that's you is it?" Tanya asked. "I'm family ain't i?" He said, before nudging Lauren forward to go downstairs.

Lauren's head spun, she didn't know what to make of joey, but if he was planning on sticking around; I guess she'll soon be finding out.

**Review please.  
So what do you think of joey? Do you think there's any chance of a romance there or just family support?  
Tanya ey? Bit of an evil one isn't she.  
Max and Derek have to be my favourite in this too. Xx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter four**

_Every single person on the planet has a story, don't judge people before you truly know them, the truth might surprise you. - unknown._

Max left Lauren to unpack in her room with the help of Alice and joey. Of course joey wasn't at all impressed with it but he could hardly object, wouldn't look very good on his side.

Joey narrowed his eyes at Alice for what must of been the tenth time in the last twenty minutes.

She kept inclining her head towards Lauren. Joey shoved Alice's shoulder causing Lauren to look up.

She furrowed her eyes at the pair of them. "so what's it like round here then? Joey asked.

"It's alright yeah-" Alice began. "It's rubbish" Lauren bluntly said. Alice frowned and joey laughed at Lauren's response.

"It's not that bad Lauren" Alice said. "No not unless your a branning and bad luck just runs through this square" Lauren said.

"How's that?" Joey asked. "Well look at me for example, everyone round were thinks I killed a guy I fancied because I'm a mental nut case" Lauren laughed.

Joeys eyes widened, he didn't think it was anything this serious.

He could see through her false laugh that if went down a lot deeper than that though.

"Did you?" He asked. "Joey!" Alice snapped. "What?" He shrugged. "It's just a question, she doesn't have to answer it" joey said, shrugging his shoulders and turning his attention back to Lauren.

"Guys come on down here" Derek shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"No I don't" Lauren told him, walking out of her new room.

"Charming" joey huffed. "Dick" Alice muttered walking past him.

"Hey, did she really murder someone?" Joey asked. "No she didn't, it was him who was the evil one; Lauren is the victim" Alice told him, walking away.

This still didn't leave Joey any the wiser.

When joey got downstairs Lauren looked pretty distressed. "Your being selfish dad" Lauren moaned.

"It's just for three days petal" Derek told her, slipping into his coat.

"Three days!" Lauren snapped. "What's going on?" Joey asked. "Ah well dumb and dumber here are going away for three days" Lauren said.

"Cool, three days of just us young ones, it'll be fun" joey smiled. Lauren tutted, her lips parting.

"See now that's the spirit" max said. "I have rules" max said. "Oh I'm sure you do" Lauren replied with sarcasm.

"Your mum doesn't enter this house and you don't take any tablets whatsoever okay?" Max asked. Lauren nodded at him and fell into the sofa.

"I'll be back before you know it babe" max said, kissing Lauren on the forehead.

Max and Derek left the house, and there was an awkward silence. "who wants a drink?" Abi asked. "Me" both Lauren and joey said in unison.

"I'll help" Alice smiled. Lauren didn't look at joey, just flicked through the tv.

Joey did feel a bit awkward and wondered if he should say something. He walked over to her and sat on the sofa.

"Sorry about being so blunt earlier" he said. "Yeah your pretty rude" Lauren told him, not moving her eyes of the tv.

"Hm your not making this any easier" joey frowned.

"And what are you trying to do?" Lauren asked him. "I'm trying to apologise" he told her.

"Your not very good at it" Lauren said. "You know what, you can stick your apology I've just tried to help you and yeah I said the wrong thing but there's no need for you to be nasty about it" joey snapped before storming out of the house.

"Joey" she whispered, but it was too late, he was gone. Lauren's had a thing about pushing people away who tried to wt close to her because she knew she would be the one who would get hurt.

Alice came back in the living room to see Lauren getting her coat on.

"What are you doing, where's joey?" Alice asked.

"Joeys gone to meet some mates and I'm going to get a couple of bottles of wine, do it properly yeah?" She smiled.

"Okay" Alice said, satisfied with her answer. "Be careful Lauren" Abi said. Lauren nodded and left the house.

She got outside and it was dark now. She pulled her coat tighter round her body as the wind got stronger.

There were kids about her own age hanging around on street corners; she didn't like that at all.

She got to the ship and rushed inside, feeling the warmth of the shop and the friendly familiar faces made her more at ease.

She bought the two bottles of wine and headed out of the shop. She was pulled back by some guy.

Lauren wasn't scared because she knew it would just be Lewis' friends trying to scare her.

"Alright branning" he hissed in her face.

Okay maybe she was becoming a little scared.

"What do you want Jamie?" Lauren asked. "I want you to tell the truth Lauren" he said, gripping her neck with his fingers.

"I am going to tell the truth, when I go to court" Lauren said, her voice shaky now.

"Good just making sure" someone else said from behind him. There must have been at least ten others surround her and soon enough she couldn't see anything in front of her bar the bullies.

"I-i n-need to get back" Lauren said. Soon enough they were all laughing at her.

Lauren looked through the crowd and spotted joey. What? He was here with the gang.

If she didn't have her family, who did she have?

"Please Jamie" she begged. "I heard you like it rough darling" Jamie said stepping forward, resting his hand on her hip.

Lauren gasped and her face paled. "No!" She sobbed. "Get off!" She screamed as they all laughed.

"Oi!" Alfie and Phil shouted in unison as they left the cafe.

Most of the gang did a runner and the next thing Lauren knew, Alice and Abi were by her side.

"Leave her alone!" Alice snapped. "What the fuck is wrong with you lot! How sick are you? Lewis raped her, he fucking raped her you mindless idiots!" She said, catching her breath.

"Is that true sweetheart" Alfie said bending down to Lauren's level. Lauren nodded and began to sob. "I want my dad" she said. "Hey, how about I take you home and Alice and your sister will phone him for you" Alfie offered.

Lauren nodded her head and let Alfie and Alice walk her home, abi and joey right behind.

Joey looked behind him at his 'so called friends' he had no idea they were gonna do that to Lauren and he certainly had no idea she'd been raped by Lewis.

They got into the house and abi phones max while Alice went upstairs with Lauren.

"It's alright" Alice said stroking Lauren's hair as she laid in bed. "No it's not Alice, it's never going to be alright" she cried.

"It will Lauren it'll get better" Alice said almost in a begging tone.

"I just.. I don't think.. I don't think I c..can do th..this anymore" Lauren sobbed

Joeys heart clenched from the other side of the door, he couldn't believe he had been a part of this, he had no idea what would be going down tonight, and be certainly wouldn't of took part if he knew.

There's one thing, Lauren would not be talking to him after this.

**So Lewis tapes Lauren...  
Oo naughty joey being a part if that gang and scaring Lauren ay?  
Leave a review please.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter five**

_I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing, just prayed to a god that I don't believe in - the script ~ break even._

Lauren curled up in her bed, Alice still sat beside her.

Lauren still sobbed. She hadn't told Alice about joey though, she was still getting her head around it herself.

Alfie and Phil walked into the room but put there finger up to their mouths, letting Alice know to not tell Lauren they were here.

"Why is this happening to me Alice?" Lauren cried.

"I don't know Lauren.. Life can be very cruel and so can people" Alice told her.

"But why me, what did I do?" Lauren asked, facing the wall.

"I don't know babe, I really don't know, maybe it's a test to see how strong you are" Alice said, hoping Lauren would be satisfied with her answer.

"Well I think I'm gonna fail" she scoffed.

"No Lauren" Alice said, almost in a begging tone, she wanted Lauren to believe in herself so bad, she wanted the old Lauren back.

She used to be confident, outgoing, not afraid to say what she was thinking, funny, feisty and just generally a nice person.

By this point, Alfie had tears in his eyes, he knew Lauren well and so did Phil, who at the minute was pale; they had no idea Lauren was the victim in all of this.

"Joey doesn't like me does he?" Lauren asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had dawned upon them.

"What do you mean babe? Of course he does.. I think he likes you a lot" Alice smiled, biting back a giggle.

"He wants to hurt me" Lauren sobbed. Alice moved her hand to stroke her arm.

In the mean time joey was still on the other side of the door, knowing full well that Lauren was about to tell Alice that he was part of that gang that cornered Lauren.

"Shit" he sighed, bringing his hand up to cover his face.

Phil looked at the side of him, seeing joey in distress on the other side of Lauren's open door, joey looked up and shook his head.

"No babe, joey won't hurt you, he'll help protect you, I promise you that much" Alice told her.

"He was with that gang earlier" Lauren told Alice. Alice frowned.

"You must be confused. Joey wouldn't be part of that gang" Alice said.. Not being mad for Lauren's sake.

"I know he's your brother but he was there Alice, he stared me right in the eyes.. I stared at him too because I thought he was going to help me Alice" Lauren cried, her voice breaking.

Alice didn't say much just stared at Lauren's back wide eyed.

"And them Jamie came forward and he was gonna.. H-he was gon-gonna" Lauren began but broke down into another flood of tears.

"Ayy shh.. What was he going to do?" Alice asked.

"I think he was going to rape me Alice.. J-just like Lewis" she sobbed.

"He told me he heard I liked it rough" Lauren cried.

Anger filled Phil's face.. He clenched his fists and Alice wasn't far behind him either, Alfie was almost on the verge of floods of tears.

Phil indicated for them to leave; having all the information they needed without Lauren getting distressed in the process; not by them anyway.

"I want my dad" Lauren cried. "And uncle Derek.. Please Alice" Lauren said.

"I'm gonna get them back here as soon as I can but in the meantime, I'm gonna make sure those guys pay because not only are you my cousin but your my best friend and I want you to be happy" Alice said.

Lauren nodded once. "I want to look out for you just like you do for me, remember when that guy stood me up?" Alice asked Lauren.

"You didn't deserve to be treated like that Alice" Lauren mumbled.

"And neither do you" Alice told her. "Mind you, I don't think he'll be coming back any time soon.. I mean you had a few harsh words and then still knead him.. Well you know where" Alice giggled.

Lauren sighed. "I'd do it all over again" she told her.

Alice frowned. The words where leaving Lauren's mouth but there was no humour behind them, it was going to be a very long time before the old Lauren was back, or if she would ever even be able to get back to that.

"Why don't you get some sleep and I'll pop back to see you in the morning, I'll just be in the next room if you need me" Alice said.

"Thank you Alice" Lauren said. "No problem" Alice said, leaving the room.

She saw joey stood outside the door, she scowled at him and quietly shut Lauren's bedroom door.

"How could you!" She snapped. "It's not what it seems.. I promise" joey told his sister.

"Really? Because to me it seems like you were a part of that gang that was about to attack Lauren?" Alice asked.

"Well yeah when you look at it like that" joey frowned.

"Oh I'm sorry, is there another way to look at it?" She asked.. Sarcasm evident, something she'd picked up from Lauren.

"Yes I was there with them but I only went out to meet Jamie and Ben, I had no idea they were part of a gang Alice" joey told her.

"Why didn't you try and help Lauren then?" She asked.

"I didn't even know it was her at first; well whoever it was, I wasn't gonna let anyone bully her" joey said.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked. "I locked eyes with Lauren and I tried to make her feel safe but they surrounded her and I tried to get through, but Alfie and Phil got there before me, even if they hadn't, then I would've, I swear to you Alice" joey said.

"You better not be lying or I swear to you now, there'll be consequences" Phil said from behind joey, Alfie in tow.

"I'm not.. I swear" joey said. Alfie nodded and lead Phil down the stairs, Alice shortly behind.

Joey leant back against the wall and sighed.. He'd got himself into such a mess.

Unbeknown to them, Lauren was awake and as seen as the argument took place outside her bedroom, she heard every last word.

She smiled to herself slightly, by no means was she happy, tonight had taken it out of her and she didn't see much hope for a happy future, but joey wasn't involved and he tried to help her, that was a good thing, a promising thing.

"Thank you.. Joey" she whispered to herself, finally giving into we everlasting tiredness and closing her eyes.

**Phil and Alfie? Yeah I like them.. And I love how they're protective of Lauren.  
Poor joey? Or not poor joey? Which side are you choosing? So he's not part of any gang and he did try to help her.  
I love Alice and Lauren's friendship!  
Poor poor Lauren though.. Leave me a review please, I'd like to know your thoughts.. Plus it helps me update quicker when I get constructive feedback.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter six**

_Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight - Bob Marley_

Joey laid on the sofa quite restless, he wanted to speak to Lauren so he could explain but he knew she'd only get scared if he approaches her.

But what he didn't know was that Lauren had heard the conversation last night so she pretty much knew anyway.

Joey turned over on the sofa once more in hope to fall asleep this time.

He shot up off the sofa around three minutes later after hearing something smash in the kitchen.

He ran through, seeing Lauren on the floor picking up broken pieces of glass.

"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up" Lauren frowned, looking down at the floor.

"It's alright, I haven't been to sleep yet" joey said.

Lauren didn't reply bug just carried on picking up the broken pieces of glass.

Joey sighed. "Your picking it up the wrong way, be careful you don't hurt yourself" he told her.

"I'm fine- ow!" She yelped. She nervously looked up at joey who smirked at her. She just rolled her eyes and walked over to the sink.

Joey walked up behind her, not giving her any warning before taking her hand.

"Here let me see" he said. Lauren felt weird because joey was a stranger to her and he could be anyone really.

Normally she would've freaked out and got all worked up, but it was different with joey, she felt different; safe.

Joey ran the cold tap, before placing Lauren's finger underneath it. He then turned the tap off again before leading Lauren to sit at the table.

Joey carefully bandaged Lauren's finger up making sure it was clean first, Lauren watched his face in awe.

She didn't really pay much attention to what he was doing to her finger because it was only just now that she saw the features of his face, they were beautiful.

She let her eyes travel down to his chest and she felt her cheeks warm up, she knew joey was saying something, she could hear it in the background but he was probably just talking to himself while looking down at her hand.

She was only just really noticing that joey was only in his jogging bottoms, no top to be seen anywhere.

Her eyes fixed onto his abs before they spotted his arms, yes his arms were definitely something to state at.

Lauren decided there and then that joeys arms and dimples were her favourite things.

"Lauren?" Joey said a bit louder this time. Lauren gasped, not realising how long she's been in a day dream.

In a day dream of joey, that is.

"Sorry what?" Lauren asked. Joey chuckled. "You seemed to be in deep thought there" he questioned her, knowing full well that she was staring at his body.

Lauren's mouth opened a few times but there was nothing. "Alright?" Joey asked her.

"Erm yep, I was just thinking" Lauren told him.

"Okay, listen I need to explain something to you.. What happened earlier tonight Lauren they were way out of order and.." Lauren shut him up by interrupting him.

"It wasn't your fault" she told him. Joey furrowed his eyebrows together.

"I heard you outside my room earlier, talking with Alice, Phil and Alfie" Lauren smiled.

"Oh, ay that's the first time I've seen you smile properly since I got here" joey smiled.

Lauren didn't reply, she didn't really know how to react. "It suits you, you should try it more often" joey said with humour.

Lauren went back to being shy again. "There's not much to smile about" she said playing with her hands in her lap.

"Beautiful girl like you, I bet there's a lot to smile about" joey said.

Lauren smiled. "Well after the accident..." She trailed off.

Joey sighed as she stopped talking. "You know, you don't have to tell me Your secrets Lauren, but just know I'm here for you, you can talk to me anytime" joey said, squeezing her hands gently.

"After the accident, I changed. I don't smile of laugh no more; I'm not even the same person" she said.

"Listen why don't you go and sit on the sofa.. I'll make us an hot chocolate and clear this glass up yeah? Then if you wanna talk about what happened you can, but if you don't the that's cool too" joey said.

Lauren nodded her head, standing up and leaving the room.. Joey smiled at her as she left.

.JL.

Joey returned Into the living room five minutes later with two hot chocolates in hand.

"Thanks" Lauren said as joey handed the hot chocolate over.

"Do you think I'm weird?" Lauren asked. Joey furrowed his eyebrows. "What?" Joey asked her.

"Do you think I'm weird because I was seeing things that weren't real?" She asked.

"No I don't" joey replied, causing Lauren to look up at him in shock. Joey squeezed her knee slightly for support.

"What I do think is that your mum was very wrong to make you take those tablets because all they did was confuse you and make matters worse" he said, taking a sip of his drink.

Lauren weakly smiled at him, she didn't wanna beat her mum down but this time, Tanya had taken the wrong path.

"I also think that something very evil happened to you and I think you want people to understand that it wasn't your fault but I think you need to understand it yourself before you can make other people see" joey told her.

Lauren stared at him.. He was spot on. "You're good" she said.

"I want to talk about it but I'm just scared people will judge me or they won't believe me.. I don't want people to keep hating me, I want them to understand me" she sighed.

"Why don't you try me?" Joey smiled, taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

Lauren also took a sip of her drink and smiled at him. "Okay" she said inhaling a breath.

**So what do you think Lauren's gonna tell joey?  
Do you think it's a good thing he wants to understand?  
Leave me a review please:)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter seven**

_dont you worry child, see heavens got a plan for you._

Lauren was silent for several minutes and joey wasn't sure she was going to talk to him after all.

He understood completely though, I mean after seeing him in that gang, it must of.. Made her more self conscious of who she could trust.

"His name was Lewis.." Lauren mumbled. Joey looked up and weakly smiled at her.

"Sorry you already knew that" she chuckled nervously. "No, no in your own time babe" joey told her.

Lauren's head shot up at the word babe. "Sorry.. If you don't want me to call you that I won't" joey said feeling guilty.

"Uh no it's fine" Lauren smiled, trying her hardest to hide her blush.

Joey smiled and they fell into a silence again. Lauren wrapped both hands around her mug, keeping them warm.

"I liked him and I thought... I thought he liked me too" Lauren scoffed. "I couldn't have been further from the truth" she said.

Joey placed his hand on her back and rubbed it. Lauren stilled, trying to figure out how she was feeling.

"I don't know this guy but I already have hatred for him" joey said, staring straight ahead.

Lauren giggled and joey smiled at her so she stopped. She didn't even know why she was being all giddy, on no way was this situation funny but joey just made her act different, she felt like she needed to make an effort around him.

"I'm confused about the while thing really, when it first happened, I thought I deserved it, I thought it was my fault" Lauren told him, no emotion to be seen on her face.

"No Lauren. He raped you, that's not your fault, not at all" joey said.

"I realise that now but at the time, I didn't and yeah I was scared when if was happening because I knew it was wrong but I just thought... Honestly I don't know what I thought" Lauren mumbled.

"He got into your head, he controlled you, that's why you thought you were to blame because that's what he wanted you to think" joey told her.

"Maybe" she mumbled. "There's no maybe about it babe, he like to be in control, liked to get what he wanted and.." Joey trailed off.

"He did" Lauren smiled weakly. "I know.. Er how come you know so much about this? Not a rapist are you?" Lauren asked him, playfully nudging him.

"No"joey chuckled. "My step dad, he controls my mum when I'm not around.. I think he hits her but not sure" joey sighed.

"Oh" Lauren mumbled. "Is that why you want Alice to go back? So your mum has somebody she can talk to?" Lauren asked. Joey nodded his head once.

"So what happened with Lewis?" Joey asked. "Well he's dead for a start" Lauren said.

"How did he die though?" Joey asked. Lauren swallowed a lump in her throat and inhaled deeply.

"Three bullets to the head" Lauren said. Joey let out a laugh and Lauren shot a glare at him.

"I'm sorry that's not funny, if was just... You sounded blunt" joey said.

"So why did he die? What's the story?" Joey asked. "Well he asked me out.. He heard that I liked him and he told me he liked me too"Lauren said.

"He was really nice at first you know? It was all 'I'll take care of you' 'we'll be together always' but it soon changed" Lauren said.

Joey paled slightly. "Changed how?" He asked, not sure he wanted the answer.

"He began to tell me what I could wear, who I could see, didn't let me wear make up or any fitting clothes and I had to see to his every need" Lauren said, through tear glazed eyes.

Joey rubbed Lauren's arm. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want" he said.

"I want to" she said. "Did he make you have sex with him?" Joey carefully asked.

"Yeah, almost every night and I hates it.. So one day I decided it was enough and I told my dad and uncle Derek" Lauren said.

"What happened?" He asked. "Well they went mental and wanted to kill him but they went to the police and they set up for me to meet Lewis" she said.

"It was like an undercover thing.. They put microphones on me and then off I went.. But it was worse than it ever was this time.. With Lewis I mean"

"How?" Joey asked. "When I got there he pulled my hair and said if been with another guy then he punched me right in the face" she said.

"Oh my god" joey sighed. "Then he carried on questioning me and I told him I was breaking up with him. Mostly because the night before he raped me and I didn't wanna go through that again" she said.

Joey out his arm around Lauren, and she slightly leant into him.

She stopped talking for a second, just revelling in being touches by joey, it felt nice.

"He threw me to the floor and started to undo his button on his jeans.. And so I said the code word, and all the police came out of nowhere" she said.

"How did it lead to his death?" Joey, asked confused.

"That's the thing, I don't know" Lauren said. Joey pulled away from her and looked into her eyes.

"It wasn't me if that's what your thinking" she said, worried.

"No, I know it wasn't, I trust you" joey smiled. "You do?" Lauren asked surprised. "Yeah there's just something about you that I like" he smiled.

Lauren smiled back. "So basically the police arrested him but everyone got into a fight.. Dad, uncle Derek, uncle jack even though he's a police officer" Lauren laughed. "Alice too" she said.

"Alice?!" Joey asked in even more shock. "Right?" Lauren laughed. "I'm certain Alice didn't kill him though" she smirked.

"So basically the police threw them all in the same cell, with these three other guys who had been arrested for assault, they were busy that day and had no cell space so" Lauren trailed off.

"There were three gunshots to be heard and when the police ran into the cell, those three bullets were in Lewis' head" Lauren said.

"Wow" joey mumbled. "I know" "so the suspects are dad, Alice, uncle jack, uncle Derek of the three other guys" Lauren sighed.

"So why do people think it's you?" Lauren asked. "No clue, probably because they heard I set him up and they all think i made those lies up about him" she said.

"It's all quite a mess" Lauren laughed which then turned into a sob.

"Ayy, don't cry" joey said, holding Lauren I to his embrace.

Joey didn't know what it was but be felt something for the girl in his arms. Something he'd never felt before. There wasn't much he could do about it though and he wasn't going to do anything. The girl had just been through torture and he didn't wanna push her.

"I don't ever wanna be in love again if that's what it feels like" Lauren mumbled into his chest.

Joeys heart aches at that moment.. She's been cruelly dealt the wrong way of life.

"Just promise me one thing?" Joey asked. "What?"

"anytime you need to talk to someone, or your feeling down or in a bit of rouble.. Come to me and I'll help you yeah" joey said.

"Thank you joey"

**So are you understanding more what happened?  
Who do you think killed Lewis?  
At least Lauren has someone to talk to now**.** Leave a review please:)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter eight**

_Everybody needs inspiration, everybody needs a song. A beautiful melody, when the nights so long. Cause there is no guarantee, that this life is easy - Miley Cyrus._

Alice woke up the next morning and went straight into Lauren's room, only to find her bed empty.

This didn't settle her at all so she ran downstairs. She was just about to shout at joey, somehow coming to the conclusion it was his fault.

She suddenly stopped, seeing that joey was asleep but up in a sitting position, what phased her more was Lauren was there too.

They weren't exactly tangled up in each other's bodies but they were far from keeping there distance.

Lauren was leant into joeys side, a protective arm over her shoulders as her head rested against his shoulder.

Alice smiled at the sight, but soon turned around as she heard a car door slam, full well knowing it would be max and Derek.

Alice races to the door, warning them before they made any noise, both men looked at her strangely but followed her orders.

Alice motioned with her hand for them to follow her into the living room where Lauren and joey were still sleeping.

They both looked at the young pair, then at Alice then at each other, in shock more than anything.

After Alice's phone call, max was on the rampage and was ready to give joey a piece of his mind.

Alice had told max everything, she didn't feel guilty at all because she didn't realise joey wasn't one of the bad guys.

"What?" Max asked confused. Max looked at Lauren and she looked at peace, in fact she looked more at peace than she has in a long time.

There were no frown marks, no stress lines, not even any tear stained cheeks, max could tell Lauren was at ease.

Alice motioned for them to walk into the kitchen and they did. "What are you two doing here?" Max asked, seeing Alfie and Phil sat at the kitchen table, each with a cup of coffee.

"Oh yeah, meant to tell you they stopped the night after bringing Lauren back" Alice said, guiltily.

"Thanks guys, for you know looking out for Lauren" max said.

"No worries mate, you know anything to help" Alfie said. "You should've told us what had been going on with Lauren, we could've helped, everyone on the square would've helped if they knew" Phil said.

"I know, thanks but I didn't want to have everyone staring at Lauren because they knew what happened to her" max said.

"Yeah course mate. That's understandable" Alfie said, pulling his leather jacket on.

"Thanks for everything" max said. "She's a decent kid max, don't let this destroy her" Phil said.

Max nodded and weakly smiled, tears already gazing his eyes.

"So what's with joey and Lauren together on the couch?" Max asked Alice.

"I dunno, they must have talked things through and.. Fell to sleep?" Alice said.

"Yeah.. There's definitely a connection there" Derek smiled. "What you'd be okay with them two?" Max asked him.

"Look max you only get one shot at life and Lauren hasn't had a very fair chance as she?" Derek asked.

Max shook his head and pursed his lips together, trying his best not to let any tears loose.

"Now I love Lauren like she's my own max and I'd do anything to see her happy just like you would, and Lauren and joey I think they got something and they've barely met, they've got something strong" seek said.

"Uncle max, did you see Lauren out there? She was laying with joey, he had his arm wrapped around her, it was like a safety net, and you know that since the accident no guy as been able to get near her without her flinching or feeling scared.. I think she trusts joey, she feels safe" Alice said.

"Well it's not exactly my dream.. But as long as Lauren's happy" he said.

Alice smiled. "Did she tell him everything then? About how Lewis died?" Max asked.

"I don't know what she told him.. She doesn't know the truth herself" Alice sighed.

Max nodded and headed up for a shower, Derek sitting down at the table with Alice, there was a lot to discuss.

**Soo anyone guessed who murdered Lewis yet?  
Everyone's on side with joey and Lauren, but is what they want?  
Leave a review please:)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter nine.**

_It's not a cry you can hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light. It's a broken and it's a cold hallelujah. - hallelujah_

Alice and Derek sat at the table waiting for max to get back. Alice was slightly worried what was gonna happen, she didn't want anyone to get into any trouble.

Max pulled his chair out sitting down in between Alice and Derek, snapping both of them out of their thoughts.

"So? Joey knows about everything.. So I'm guessing joeys now going to be wondering who killed Lewis" max said.

"We don't know that Lauren told him everything.. She might have just told him about the accident" Alice said.

"Don't be so naive Alice.. She trusts him, she's told him" Derek sighed, lighting a cigarette.

Jack came through to the kitchen chuckling. "Check those pair of lovers out" he laughed.

"we've got a problem" Derek told him. Jacks face soon fell.

"Lauren related?" He asked, hoping he was wrong. Both jack and max lit up a cigarette, before max nodded.

Alice sighed dramatically. "Do you really have to blow smoke in my face?" She asked them all as jack sat on the other side of Alice.

Jack smirked at his niece. "What's going in then?" Jack asked.

"Right Lauren was nearly attacked last night by a gang, they cornered her outside the shop and this guy Jamie, Lewis' best mate, he started to undo his jeans.." Alice said.

"What?" Jack asked. "And Jamie said to her 'I heard you like it rough' nobody believes she was raped jack.. And joey was part of that gang" she said.

Jacks face filled with anger and he flew up from his chair.

"Woah woah woah jack.. Make sure you know the facts before you do anything rash" Derek said, also jumping up from his chair and standing up in front of jack.

Jack held his eye contact with Derek for a couple of seconds before taking his previous position at the table.

He motioned with his hand for Alice to carry on. "Joey was just there meeting two of his mates, who were part of the gang, but joey didn't know that, they went into to attack Lauren and joey went to help her but Alfie and Phil got there first" she told him.

"So Lauren and joey? What's happening with those two?" Jack asked.

"I think she told him everything" max sighed. "Even about the shooting, in the cell?" Jack asked.

"Well she don't know who it was so no.. But I think she would've told h everything else" max said.

"That's good" jack said. "Is it though?" Max asked, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Max forget the whole shooting thing for a minute.. Lauren's your main priority, now what is she like with boys? With any stranger in fact.. They don't come near without her feeling scared, but joey.. It's different, she's opened up to him, she trusts him" jack said.

"So what is it?" Max asked. "That my friend is.. Love" Derek chuckled, Alice smiling along too.

"It's not funny Del" max scolded. "They are in love max, whether they see it yet or not.. We just let them so there thing" Derek said.

"Lauren's your main priority yeah? I did not just risk my job for nothing.. I risked it for Lauren.. We all risked everything for Lauren, that's why it happened, for Lauren" jack said.

"Well come on then let's nip over to the Vic before they wake up.. They don't need to know that we know about them.. I want Lauren to have a normal shot at things, she does this her way" max said.

They all crept through the living area, jack creeped up to Lauren and joey, smirking as he bent down to their level to see how close they were.

"Jack" Alice snapped in a harsh whisper, grabbing his arm. Lauren began to stir and they all ran out of the house, Alice pulling a laughing jack with her.

.JL.

Lauren woke up first. Flickering her eyes open, she gasped and shot up letting out a shriek, not recognising where she was.

"Ay shh" joey said, panicking as he woke up to Lauren screaming.

Lauren's breathing was heavy but she soon calmed down after realising where she was or... Who she was with.

"Sorry" she said blushing. "Don't be" joey said, using his thumb to slide it over her bottom lip, releasing it from her teeth.

Lauren smiled at joey, her heart was beating ten to the dozen and couldn't quite work out what she was feeling.

Joey had one hand on her waist and the other resting on her lap.

His fingers felt like they were burning through her skin, she couldn't quite explain how it felt, just that she knew it felt different like nothing she'd ever felt before.. It was nice.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked. "Er yeah, a lot better. Thanks for listening to me last night" she said.

"Anytime Lauren" joey said. Lauren smiled at joey awkwardly knowing what she wanted to do.

Joey also know what he wanted to do, but unbeknown to him, he didn't know Lauren felt the same so he didn't act on his feelings.

"Coffee?" He asked, making his way off the sofa.

Lauren frowned. "Um okay" she mumbled, joey disappearing off into the kitchen.

"Guess you were wrong Lauren" she whispered to herself. Joey frowned from the doorway.. Did he just hear right?

Maybe, just maybe there was some mutual feelings there, he wondered whether he should give her space though.

**Soo any more guesses who killed Lewis?  
Lauren and joey.. Will they even get together?  
I love jack in this..:)  
Oh and I'm not promising any happy endings..  
Leave a review please and let me know go you think is the killer.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter ten**

_Because of you I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me. Because of you, I am afraid. - Kelly clarkson_

Over the next four weeks, Lauren and joey became more distant. Lauren had it in her head that joey didn't share the same feelings as she did, and as much as joey hated it, he tried to give Lauren her space, knowing she needed it if she were to even slightly recover.

Joey had started to build a relationship with his dad, only slightly though.

Alice had been the main reason they got on, and for Alice's sake; joey stuck around. That's what he told himself everyday anyway. There was also another girl a bit closer to home making him stick around a while longer.

Alice and Derek were living at number 23 while joey was renting the flat on the corner, by the park, conveniently a short space away from Lauren.

Since dot had passed away her house was empty and max had moved in after reading a letter from dot saying she wanted him to live there, because it's what Jim would've wanted.

Lauren and joey, unbeknown to each other were on their own little missions to find out who killed Lewis, both for different reasons.

Joey hoped and prayed it wasn't Alice, she was his baby sister and he felt bad he wasn't around, when she could have possibly been in a mess.

On the other hand Lauren needed to know for her own sake.. She prayed that it was one of the other three men in the cell that killed Lewis, as bad as that sounds.

She didn't want her cousin, two uncles or father being punished for something she had caused, well she didn't cause it but in her head she still wasn't entirely persuaded that this was somewhat her fault.

She really did have no clue who it could be, she had questioned everyone but was no closer to the truth.

Her dad had told her to drop it, it was best if she didn't know apparently.

Her uncle Derek wasn't really phased by any of it; she thought as much really. He just told her that Lewis had it coming a long time and if how he treated Lauren was anything to go by then he was pretty sure that he had a lot of other enemies too.

She had dished a but if information from her uncle jack though, apparently the three other guys in the cell knew Lewis too which was very convenient to say the least.

Jack had admitted that he got his mate to lock them all in a cell together, just so they could shake Lewis up a bit, scare him. This friend of jacks also happened to be a DCI; so whatever he said.. Went. These other three guys.. They were Lewis' uncles and father.

So Lauren was sat on the swing in the park, having just left her uncle jacks. She was wondering why on earth Lewis' family would want him dead.. Or kill him, it even if they didn't kill him, why were they keeping quiet about who did kill him.

They must've saw who it was, they were all in the cell together. But why.. Why would you let someone kill your son/nephew and not say anything about it? Unless they were the ones to do the killing but still why? Lauren had a lot of questions she wanted answering.

She felt someone come and sit beside her, on the swing next to her.

"What you thinking about?" He asked. "Ah nothing" Lauren sighed. Joey looked at his cousin with a raised eyebrow.

"Doesn't look like nothing babe" he said.

Lauren hated the way he made her feel, especially when he wasn't interested enough to do anything about it. Or so she thought.

"Just this whole mess, all I want is the truth and nobody seems to trust me enough to let me find out" she sighed.

"Na, I don't think it's that.. They're protecting you" joey said.

Lauren looked at him, maybe he was right she thought to herself as they fell into a silence.

"So your playing detective too yeah" joey asked her.

Lauren raised an eyebrow.. "Why are you too?" She laughed, not expecting the answer she got.

"Yep" he said. "Why do you wanna know who did it?" Lauren asked.

"To be honest babe I actually don't care who did it as long as Alice didn't" joey told her.

"Oh"

Lauren felt like she received a punch to the stomach. He didn't care?

Joey didn't miss the look on Lauren's face either, and be automatically cursed himself, but decided a little digging wouldn't hurt either.

"What?" He asked. "Nothing" she replied back. "I'm just looking out for my sister Lauren" joey told her. "I never said you weren't.. I need the truth for myself" she told him, sharped toned.

"Well I need the truth to stop Alice from going to prison for the rest of her life, for something she should've never of been involved in" he said.

"I never asked nobody to get involved, and actually people are blaming me joey.. I can't go out at night because the risk of getting attacked is quite high.. So ye I need the truth too" she snapped back at him.

Joey smirked at Lauren, only irritating her more. "Well I'm glad you find this funny, you are such a dick" Lauren snapped before storming off.

Joey went after her just as she reached the side of joeys flat, walking past the outside stairs, he grabbed her hand pulling her to a stop, she wasn't scared though because she knew it was joey.

"I'm sorry, I know it's not funny.. I know it's more important for you to the truth" joey said.

Lauren sighed. "Look I pretty certain Alice didn't do it" Lauren said. "How do you know?" Joey asked. "I may have dogged a little information out" she smiled.

"Care to share babe?" He said, stepping closer to her. Lauren smiled at him and he squeezed her fingers for reassurance.

"Wanna come inside babe?" Joey asked. Lauren nervously nodded, she'd never been in his flat before.

"You do know I won't hurt you, don't you Lauren?" Lauren weakly smiled at him and nodded.

She trusted joey but she was still cautious of everything she did. Joey weakly smiled at her and took her hand, leading her inside.

Lauren told joey everything she knew. "So the other were his family?" Joey asked shocked. "Yep"

"I think it was one of them" Lauren said. "You think it was his family?" Joey chuckled.

"Yeah I mean if it wasn't them, do you really think they'd keep hush over seeing their son or nephew being killed?" Lauren asked.

"You're right there" he said, leaning back into the sofa. "I know" Lauren smirked.

"Look at you getting more confident" joey laughed. Lauren's fave paled.. Lewis had once said that to her but it had a whole different meaning to it.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean-" done panicked, tears already surfacing.

"Ay, it's alright; I meant that as a good thing" he said, entwining their fingers.

"Oh" she replied.

"It's a terrible thing that happened to you Lauren, but I promise you, you will get past it" he smiled, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

"How can you promise me that" Lauren asked. "I can" he said. Lauren turned around to face him properly and it was only then they realised just how close they were.

Face to face, nose to nose, hand in hand. There was no going back now. It was impossible to move from there current position. Joey didn't quite know if he should do what he wanted, but he saw that Lauren wasn't backing down so maybe it might just work.

Lauren was the first one to lean in, both of them smiling. "Wait!" Joey said, bringing them to a stop.

**Is it really bad to leave it there... Ha. Sorry but your gonna have to wait until tomorrow to find out if they kiss or not..  
Who killed Lewis do you think?  
Leave a review please:)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter eleven**

_I'll never let you fall, I'll stand up with you forever, I'll be by your side through it all._

"Wait!" Joey said bringing them to a stop. Lauren frowned.

Joeys face softened and he took both of Lauren's hands in his own. "What's wrong?" She asked him.

"I don't think this is a very good idea is it?" He asked. Lauren stared at him for a second, then burst into tears, turning around panic searching for her jacket.

Joeys eyes widened at the change of scene, knowing that he had caused it.

"Lauren?" He asked, well more begged. "Lauren, stop!" He begged as her breathing became rapidly heavier.

Seeing that she wasn't going to stop joey himself started to panic. Lauren was in full sobbing nose now and basically just freaking out. Her hands were shaking and she was whispering to herself.

Joey tugged on her arm so she was facing him but that didn't stop her from breaking down. Joey managed to hear what she was saying now at least.

"I'm sorry..I'm sorry..it won't happen again" she repeated over and over.

Joeys heart clenched, she was clearly having a bad time of this, and she was relating it to the whole Lewis situation.

"Lauren please! Stop!" He shouted. Joey realised shouting at her only made her worse.

He did the only thing possible that he thought would make her stop. He let go of her hands and he put both his hands on her cheeks before pulling her face forward and letting their lips connect.

Joeys plan was to kiss her to shut her up, so he could explain himself but once their lips were met as one there was no stopping.

It was like he was glued to her, like she was his craving, he needed her, so he did all he could. He carried on kissing her.

Lauren was shocked but she found herself in the same situation, unable to move.

Although to say they couldn't move, their lips didn't do a bad job.

They both moved together in sync, Lauren letting out a little whimper. Joey slid his tongue into Lauren's welcoming mouth and let it take part with Lauren's.

Neither of them was sure of what they were feeling but they knew it was a good thing.

They broke the kiss, as Lauren panted for air. Joey smiled at her and used his thumb to wipe the stray tears away.

"If you shut up for just five seconds you would know that I so want to kiss you, I just wanted to make sure you were ready, make sure it's what you want" he told her.

"Sorry" she smiled shyly. "I don't know why I panicked like that.. I just" she said, but joey cut her off once more with his lips.

Lauren giggled. "Stay calm babe, now why did you get so upset?" He asked.

"I just thought that you didn't want me because of everything that happened, I wouldn't blame you.. I'm a mess." She told him.

"Damaged goods" She mumbled thinking joey hadn't heard.

"Don't you dare say that again, you're not a mess and your certainly not damaged... He's the one that was damaged" joey told her.

Lauren's eyes were fixed on joey. "You are this beautiful girl, that I find so interesting, and the more I get to know you.. The more I crave" he said, smiling nervously at his speech.

Lauren didn't say anything but she did blush... Deeply. "I'm not one for talking, you know emotions and stuff" joey laughed.

"I don't know, you did a pretty good job just now" Lauren smiled, resting her hand on top of his.

"It's you" he said. Lauren wondered what he meant by that exactly but his cheeky grin told her it was something good.

"It's like you have this hold over me and I can't do anything about it, not that I'm complaining" he smirked.

"It's the same with you" she said looking down. "What was that?" Joey asked, smirking.

Lauren knew full well he was playing with her.

She surprised him by leaning up on her knees, pushing her body against his and kissing him, deeply.

"Wow" joey smirked. "What happens now.. I mean with us, was.. Was this a one off?" Lauren asked him.

Joeys head snapped up as Lauren finished that sentence. "I hope not.. I really like you Lauren and it's the first time ever I've felt like this about anyone" joey told her.

"I like you too.. But I'm not sure about things" Lauren told him.

"Why?" Joey asked. "I mean Lewis was mg first boyfriend and that didn't exactly go to plan.. This would be my first proper relationship and j have no clue what I'm doing.. I don't wanna mess it up" she sighed.

"You won't" he told her. "Now how about a cuddle?" Joey asked. Lauren grinned widely and instantly fell into his arms.

Joey kissed her forehead "me and you will be just fine.. Dong you worry about a thing" he said.

Lauren grinned really cheesy.. She felt so good right now.. She hoped nothing came along to ruin things for them.

**Leave a review please.. They kissed:D a few times too...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter twelve**

_If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lay with me and just forget the world - snow patrol_

.JL.

Over the next few days, Lauren saw a lot of joey, it really helped that joey had his own flat.

They were sneaking around like little school children, Lauren just always told her dad that she had an appointment with her counsellor or a check up meeting with her brief.

So nobody had no clue that joey and Lauren were sneaking around.

Lauren had stopped all meetings with her counsellor the last time she had gone which was the day after her and joey had first kissed.

She didn't feel like she needed to go there anymore, because she knew wrong from right now and she definitely knew Lewis was in they wrong.

He raped her and physically abused her for the best part of their relationship, if you could call it that.

The best thing Lauren ever did was telling the police and going undercover so the police could catch him out.

She did have some guilt though, for Lewis getting killed. It all seemed a bit suspicious to Lauren.. Lewis getting out in a cell with her uncle jack, Derek, Alice and her dad.

It wouldn't be the best idea would it, not from someone's point of view with just a little common sense.

What Lauren didn't understand more than anything was that Lewis' dad and two uncles were also in that cell. So they either shot him or they watched him be shot.

And that just didn't add up did it, because why would you kill your own family or watch them be killed and then say nothing?

On the other hand.. There must be some kind of reason they've kept quiet about it, maybe they wanted him dead, or they just didn't care? Maybe he had done something to them, to the family? Lauren thought.

It was all very, very confusing.

So Lauren had stopped going to see her counsellor three days ago because she didn't feel like she needed to talk to her any more. She had her family now but most importantly, she had joey.

Joey had told Lauren numerous time that if she had any problem, no matter what time of the day or night then she should call him or go round to his flat, he had even given her a key to his flat so she could go round whenever she felt like it.

.JL.

"Lauren?" Max shouted up the stairs. "Yeah?" She asked running down stairs, smiling as she got into the living room to him.

Max stared at his daughter. She was glowing, she was smiling, she had make up on for the first time in months, she'd done her hair and she was back in her old clothes too.

"Alright?" He asked her. "Um ye" she said, looking at him in confusion.

"You look amazing" he said. Lauren smiled at her dad thankful for his support.

"So what's brought this on then? You back to your old self" max questioned her.

"Erm I just thought it was time I moved on you know? Stop living in the past" she told him.

"Anybody in particular helped you with that decision?" Max asked sneakily, hoping she'd say joey.

As max asked that question Alice popped out of the kitchen.

"Oh hey Alice" Lauren smiled. "Yeah.. Anyone in particular?" Alice asked, winking.

"No just me.." She said, she knew they were fishing but she wasn't gonna let on, not just yet anyway.

"anyway I'm off out.. Counselling session" she lied. "Alright babe, need your keys?" Max asked. "No I'll be fine" she said.

Max frowned. "Lauren what's this key for?" He asked, pointing to joeys flat key.

"Oh that's my key for the gym, we all get our own keys instead of a passcode" she lied again.

"I didn't know you went to the gym?" He asked.

"Ye" she laughed nervously. "Gotta go.. Bye!" She said before shooting off.

Alice smirked as Lauren left. "I bet I know whose flat that key fits" Alice told max.

"Na Alice, they've hardly seen each other these past few weeks, I haven't even seen them together once" max told her.

"Well your not going to when there in the flat together... Alone are you?" She asked him.

"Come on..." Alice giggled dragging max from the house.

"This is a bad idea, what if she catches us?" Max asked. "Sshh" Alice snapped as she opened the door, successfully.

Alice turned around and max smirked at her.

Alice closed the door again and shoved max back. "We can't go in there, come on" Alice laughed.

**So max and Alice know about Lauren and joey..  
Lauren's stopped her counselling sessions and were still no closer to finding out who the killer is..  
Leave a review please**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter thirteen**

_This love is difficult, but it's real - Taylor swift_

After lying about her counselling session, Lauren had spent the day with joey.

They were getting on really well, Lauren found herself feeling happier than she could ever remember.

Nobody had made her feel like this before, looking at it now, she couldn't fin one reason why she stayed with Lewis for as long as she did.

That was another thing, Lauren and joey met everyday to discuss what happened, not only did it give Lauren so comfort in talking about it but it gave both of them a chance to spend time together, they has jokes about them being 'secret agents' solving a crime.

Although Lauren did laugh about that, she still sometimes got upset and she still had sleepless nights, the nightmares often waking her up.

Joey was using the excuse that he needed to look out for Alice, saying that him and Lauren had to meet everyday until they figured this whole thing out.. That was partly true but he mainly just used the excuse as a chance to see Lauren.

They hadn't really figured out their relationship yet, and Lauren did wonder sometimes if joey was being like this with her just so he could find out the truth about the whole Lewis thing; make sure Alice is okay.

.JL.

They were sat on joeys sofa watching a film, investigating their 'problem' as they liked to call it, referring to who killed Lewis, was long forgotten.

They were sat side by side, hands to themselves, eyes focusing on the tv.

Lauren was still very shy when it came to being intimate with joey.

She didn't know what was okay and what wasn't.

So they were sat there, in a very awkward atmosphere. They both stole the odd glance but smiled at each other when they looked at each other at the same time, before turning their attention back to the film.

Lauren smiled and blushed, they both wanted the same thing but they didn't know that, well they did, I suppose but neither of them thought to make the first move.

They had kissed three times on the day in joeys flat which was three days ago, they'd seen each other everyday since then but nothing had happened.

Lauren didn't make a move because she was sure that if joey wanted to be kissed by Lauren he would've kissed her himself, so she just didn't even bother.

On the other hand joey was wondering what was going in.. Lauren hadn't shown any feelings towards him since the other night. He wanted to kiss her but he didn't want to push her too far either.

"Ughh!" Lauren groaned. Joey turned to look at her, both his eyebrows raised.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to do that out loud" she giggled.

"Something in your mind babe?" Joey asked her, hoping he would get the answer he was hoping for.

'You' she thought to herself. She thought over in her head what she was going to say but the words just came tumbling out.

"What's going on with us joey?" She asked him, before she could stop herself.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "Well you were all up for it the other night and now you don't seem interested" she told him, turning around on her bum, with her legs crossed.

Joey stared at her for a second, not quite sure what to say.

"Look I get it, you wanna get to the bottom of this for Alice's sake and so do I, she's my best friend joey. But id rather you tell me if that's the only reason I'm here" she said.

Lauren smiled to herself, quite proud of her speech to say how nervous she was feeling.

"I'm sorry" he told her. "What for?" She asked confused. "Because I want you and I'm crap at proving it.. I just don't want you to feel pushed" he said.

"You don't have to prove anything to me joey, just talk to me.. Let me know what your thinking.. And I'll do the same" she smiled.

"So what are you thinking?" Joey smiled back. Lauren blushed, deeply.

"I'm thinking.." She pondered around the sentence. "Go on.. It's alright" he smiled, entwining their fingers.

"I'm thinking.. That I want to be with you.. You know like properly, I just have these doubts that sometimes maybe you don't feel the same" she shyly told him.

"You're right.. We so need to communicate more" he said. Lauren nodded once, almost begging for him to carry on.

"Because if we did, you'd know that I want you too... A hell of a lot!" He laughed.

Lauren smiled, before giggling. "You look.. So beautiful Lauren, I mean you looked gorgeous without make up but... Wow" be happily sighed.

Lauren really blushed this time. "Your not just saying that?" Lauren asked, astonished by his comment.

"No I mean it babe" joey smiled. Lauren smiled back and watched as joey edged closer to her... His face just inches away from her own.

Joey pressed his lips onto Lauren's but they both froze at hearing a key in the door.

"whose that?" Lauren asked. "Only me and you have keys" he told her.

Joey got up, Lauren following. They looked through the window seeing max and Alice jog over to her house laughing to themselves.

"think we got spy's babe" joey laughed. "My dads gonna go mental" she panicked.

"Na, Alice already let slip that they all know about us, they want us to get together apparently" joey said.

"Oh"

"We can play them at their own game.. If they think they can catch us out" joey said.

Lauren turned her head to look at joey and smirked.

"Now I believe we were interrupted" joey said, sitting on the windowsill, he pulled Lauren towards him by her hands.

Lauren couldn't deny she was nervous as she got closer to him, but the excitement was stronger.

"I think we were" she smiled. She sat herself on joeys lap sideways, joeys hands moving straight to her waist for support.

Lauren was the first to move forward, the anticipation becoming too much.

Joey was surprised by her actions, she didn't move in slow.. She slammed her lips against his, hungrily kissing him.

The last few days, all Lauren. Wanted was to kiss joey and I guess it all got too much, and now she was desperate for him.

Joey kissed back with just as much pressure, also desperate for this.

"Hm" Lauren moaned as how's tongue collided with her own. Joey managed to move them both over to the sofa, him on top.

They broke the kiss both panting for air. Lauren smiled at him as he stated down at her. "Not bad branning" joey said, reaching down and moving the lose hair from her face.

**Leave a review please:)'**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter fourteen**

_When you try your best but you don't succeed, when you get what you want but not what you need, when you feel so tired but you can't sleep._

Lauren and joey spent the whole afternoon together, in quite close intimacy.

When they did finally drag themselves away from each other, Lauren went home because she knew her dad would be getting worries by now. It was 8pm and she may have forgotten to get in touch, so joey offered to walk her home. Yes it was only a door or two down but you could never be sure what was around the corner.

Joey and Lauren walked into the house laughing. When they walked I to the living room, max, Derek and jack were all waiting in silence.

They all had stern looks on their faces and they didn't look too happy either.

"Alright?" Joey asked, scratching the back of his neck.

"How nice of you to join us... Lauren" jack said. Lauren furrowed her eyebrows together at her uncles harsh tone, not expecting it.

"What's up?" Joey asked, glaring at jack. Max took a chance to let his face soften and smile at Lauren proudly, she was happy when she walked in with joey and that's all he wanted, he hadn't see her laugh like that in a long time.

"Erm.. Alice has been arrested for the murder of Lewis" max sighed.

"What! No she can't have, she didn't do it!" Joey snapped.

"Joey.." Lauren sighed, resting her hand on his upper hand. "No! I know my sister" he snapped.

"Don't talk to Lauren like that" max warned him, seeing Lauren visibly pale, she wasn't good with anger, not at the moment.

"Lau-" joey began, realising how bad that must have looked. "No, it's alright" she said, shaking it off.

"Why don't you just tell me exactly what happened in that cell?" Lauren asked, staring straight into her fathers eyes.

"Because we're protecting you sweetheart" Derek told her.

"Yeah well maybe you should've protected me when I was actually with Lewis.. Tell me" she snapped.

Derek was taken back by Lauren's comment, having not processed any words to answer her yet.

"Who killed Lewis? And don't say Alice because I know she wouldn't do something like that.." Lauren said.

Nobody answered her and she just became more frustrated with them all.

"Do you all really think that little of me?" Lauren asked, her tone more of a beg.

"Course we don't Lauren.." Max told her, honestly.

"Look there was eight other people than Lewis in that cell.. You decide" jack sighed.

"Then why can't you tell me who killed Lewis dad?!" She asked.

Max went to answer her but Derek interrupted. "Shall we go and see if we can get Alice back then?.. Because if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's my girl isn't going to prison" Derek said.

Lauren huffed, in frustration again. "Can I come?" She asked.

"No.. You stay here, you too joey" max said. "But-" Lauren begged. The front door had already closed before she could finish that sentence.

Lauren slumped down on the sofa while joey carefully sat next to her.

"Sorry for snapping at you" joey said, holding her hand in his.

"It's okay" Lauren smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I promise if won't happen again" he sighed, kissing her forehead.

Lauren smiled at him then a thought popped I to her head. "Omg!" She exclaimed.

"What?" Joey asked. "There's someone else who could have been the killer" Lauren said.

Joey looked at her confused "what?" He asked.

"Uncle jack said that there was eight other people than Lewis in that cell" she said.

"Yeah?.." Joey asked, still not understanding. "Joey think about it... Alice, Derek, my dad, uncle jack, Lewis' dad and two uncles... That's seven people and jack said there were eight" Lauren said.

"So whose the other person?" Joey asked. "I think that other person is out killer" Lauren said.

"You should be a detective one day miss" joey said, kissing her lips.

"Wait.. How'd we find out who the eighth person is?" Joey asked.

Lauren frowned at him.. "I haven't thought that far ahead.. You got anything?" She asked.

Joey shook his head and weakly smiled.

"Babe get your coat" joey said, standing up and throwing his hoodie on.

"Why?"

"We're following them, they're bound to leave a clue behind" joey said.

**So Alice's been arrested and there's an eighth person.. And they may be the killer. Who do you think it could be? Leave a review please:)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter fifteen**

_I can be your hero, baby. I can kiss away the pain. I will stand by you forever, you can take my breath away - Enrique Iglesias_

Lauren and joey both walked outside rushing to joeys car. Once they got in and buckled up Lauren felt nervous, maybe they were just about to find out who killed Lewis.

Lauren couldn't help it, she knew Lewis had died because of her, she wasn't saying she weren't happy he wasn't around no more but the fact he died in a cell where he was because her actions put him there... That didn't sit well on her conscience.

"Lauren?"

"Sorry, did you say something?" She asked.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his expression looking worried. "I'm just nervous" she said.

Joey rested his hand on Lauren's knee. "Don't be okay? Whatever happens.. I'm going to be here for you" he smiled.

"I know, thank you" she replied, reciprocating his smile.

Joey started up the car and drove out of town, they didn't exactly know where max had gone but they were guessing this road was something close as it was the main road into Central London.

"There!" Lauren gasped, spotting the familiar car. Max was about four cars in front, from what the couple could make out.

Joey smiled at Lauren, but frowned seeing max turn off down one of the back streets.

"Why they turning off here? It's the creepiest part of London" joey said, more to himself than anyone.

"Oh god" Lauren said, also to herself.

"What?"

"Lewis' parents live down here.. Well his dad does anyway" she said.

Joey stopped on the high street, not following Max's car. "What you doing?" She asked.

"Well I can hardly go and park up next to your dads car.. Can I?" Joey asked.

"Suppose"

Joey locked the car up and they both got out. "What do we do now then?" Lauren asked.

"We check it out" joey said, shrugging his shoulders. "Okay" Lauren weakly smiled.

"It'll be fine" joey told her. Lauren still didn't look to impressed at joeys decision though.

Joey simply walked over to Lauren and pulled her into a hug, feeling her body shake in his arms, he tightened his hold on her.

"I can take you back home?" Joey asked.

"No no I need to do this, no choice is there" she said.

"I have a choice babe, and you are my best interest.. I don't want you upset" joey told her, still hugging her.

"No I need to know this wasn't anyone of my family" Lauren said, pulling away from joey.

Joey smiled at her, proud she was doing the right thing but still worried that it might all become too much for her.

He took her cheeks in both hands and placed a soft kiss o her forehead.

"You wanna leave at anytime, you tell me?" He asked.

Lauren nodded at joey and he took her hand, leading her down the street.

.JL.

Lauren and joey were his behind thee garden gate, peeking through the gap which had been a broken part in the fence.

"Lauren doesn't find out about this.. It will destroy her and I don't want her to have to face any consequences for that scumbag" max angrily told dean, Lewis' father.

"Sure.. What Lewis did to her was disgusting max, I didn't want him dead but I knew right then that I didn't want to ever see him again" dean said.

"Well I think we have a deal then gentleman" Derek smirked.

"Now how do I get my Alice out of all this mess?" Derek asked.

"Just wait.. The police have nothing in her because she wasn't the one who killed him.. She'll be out by tonight it tomorrow morning at the latest" dean said.

"Right thanks.. And if anyone asks" jack began.

"I haven't seen you.. Any of you and I promise you me and my brothers won't say anything about Lauren's part in this either" dean said, a sorrowful look on his face.

"Thank you" max said.

"It's the least I can do" dean replied, letting them leave.

Lauren and joey exchanged a look, they were only more confused if anything.

"Quick come on" joey said taking Lauren's hand as their fathers and uncles made their way towards them.

Joey and Lauren made their way back to the car and started to drive back to walford.

"What does he mean.. What was your part in this?" Joey asked a silent Lauren.

"I have no idea" Lauren replied. "At least we know Alice isn't guilty.. Well we knew that anyway but.. Yeah" Lauren said.

"It's gonna be okay babe.. Maybe that eighth person was just a complete stranger with a grudge" joey said.

"Yeah you're right" Lauren smiled. Joey leant over and kissed his girl.. Things were looking up.

**What do you thinks happening right now?  
Review:) please**.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter sixteen**

_Funny, you're the broken one, but I'm the only one who needed saving, cause when you see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving._

Joey had practically raced home, desperate to get back before the others did.

There was something playing on joeys mind and he couldn't rid the thought.

'What exactly was Lauren's part in this?' He thought to himself.

There must be something that everybody apart from him knew.

They walked into the house and sat themselves down on the sofa.. Lauren leant into him but he wasn't affectionate towards her for the fact that he couldn't get rid of that constant thought.

The front door went and Lauren stood up. All three brothers walked in with a smile on their faces.

"Where's Alice then?" Lauren asked. "She'll be home soon don't you worry petal" Derek smiled.

"So where you been then?" Lauren questioned them. Joey shuffled about uncomfortably on the sofa, hoping Lauren wouldn't drop them in it.

"Prison" "solicitors" Derek and max said in unison.

"So which one is it then? Hm?" Lauren snapped, she hadn't let on to joey yet but she was becoming quite impatient with everyone treating her like she was a small child.

"Lauren!" Joey said, shocked at her little outburst. The guys shared a worried glance and wondered if they should just tell Lauren the whole truth, seen as she was having trouble remembering herself.

"We went to Lewis' dads" max told her. Derek shook his head and sighed.

"Do you really think she needs to know max? Needs to live with what really happened?" Derek asked.

Joey also stood up at this point, standing beside Lauren; he had a worried feeling this wasn't going to end well.

"I know you were at deans because me and joey followed you there" Lauren said.

Everyone looked up at her in shock but nobody more than joey. Joeys hand rose up to cover the bottom half if his face, his head tilting back slightly as he let out a sigh.

"You followed us?" Jack asked. "Ye cheers Lauren" joey told her.

Lauren ignored his comment and kept her focus on her dad.

"what did you gain by following us then?" Derek asked Lauren.

"Well I know Alice didn't kill Lewis which was pretty obvious anyway and I know that dean and his brothers are keeping quiet about what happened" Lauren said, she was becoming upset as she spoke.

"Well that's right Lauren" max said. "So who did kill him?" Joey asked.

"Joey what do you know about the night Lewis was killed?" Max asked, he was becoming increasingly annoyed with Lauren, they were doing this to protect her after all.

"I know that he was abusive to Lauren and I know he raped her" joey said, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"That's right" Derek said. "What else?" Max asked, pouring himself a very generous amount of whiskey, Derek and jack too.

"I told him everything dad.." Lauren said.

"I don't think you did Lauren" jack said.

Lauren furrowed her eyebrows together too. She ssinf know what they were trying to prove here.

"She told me that she'd been attacked by Lewis for quite a while and in the end she got sick of it so she told you and my dad.. Then you all went to the police and they sent Lauren in undercover with speakers and stuff.. And Lewis hit her then tried to rape her, that's when he got arrested" joey told max.

The three guys looked at joey dumbfounded before looking at Lauren in the same way.

"Is that it?.." Jack asked. "No, she said you lot all got into a fight with Lewis, Alice too so they chucked you all in a cell together.. Lewis' dad and uncles too, then there were three gunshots heard and the officer in duty saw they had been in Lewis' head and killed him straight away" joey said.

"That's quite a story" Derek chuckled.

"Story? That's what happened" Lauren frowned.

"Do you really believe that Lauren?" Max asked her.

"That is not what happened! I mean yeah we all got chucked into that cell together but you were there too..you were that eighth person Lauren" max said.

Joey pulled a face that said he was confused and angry all at the same time, while Lauren looked more confused than anything.

**What's going in here do you think?  
Leave a review please.. Sorry it's only short**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter seventeen**

_When I look into your eyes it's like watching the night sky, or a beautiful sunrise. There's so much they hold and just like them old stars, I see that you've come so far, to be right where you are, How old is your soul? I won't give upon us even if the skies get rough, I'm giving you my all, I'm still looking up – Jason Mraz._

Tension was high in the Branning household at the minute, nobody saying a thing and nobody knowing what was going to happen next.

Lauren was glaring at her dad, she was not impressed with his outburst.. What was he trying to get at by announcing something like that?

"Dad? How could I have been there?" Lauren asked. "Why don't you leave it sweetheart? Your dad doesn't know what he's saying at the moment" Derek told her.

"No! You don't say something like that by mistake" Lauren snapped.

"All this time, all this time we've been trying to figure out what's been going on and you were there, you were there in that cell" joey frowned.

Lauren turned around to look at joey, with tear stained eyes. "No" she said violently shaking her head.

"You lied to me Lauren" joey sighed. "No I didn't, I wouldn't do that joey.. Tell him dad" Lauren begged.

"She didn't lie to you Joey" max sighed. "So, Lauren didn't kill Lewis either?" joey asked max.

He was very confused now, he had no idea what was going on, but Lauren was the one who was the most confused.

"I didn't say that.." max said, allowing time for joey and Lauren to drastically snap their heads up towards his own.

"What?!" Lauren asked, in a high pitched voice.

"That whole story you told joey, babe it was made up" max said.

Derek shook his head and sat down on the chair, taking out a cigarette.

"Why would I lie about something like this? I'm not sick" Lauren shouted.

"No babe, I know you're not.. But you were in that cell with us when Lewis died" max said.

"Don't lie! I would remember that don't you think?" Lauren snapped.

"Lauren you were in that cell!" max shouted back at her. "What are you doing uncle max?" Alice said, rushing through the door.

Lauren furrowed her eyebrows together, obviously everyone knew something she didn't.

Lauren turned her gaze to joey, who looked away as soon as she looked at him.

Her face fell for a while, until she noticed the room had fell into a silence.

"What's going on?" Lauren asked them, her voice breaking. Nobody answered her and she just became more upset.

"Dad… please?" she cried.

"I'm sorry Lauren, I really am. When your mum gave you those tablets and they made you forget.. Well some of your memory never came back, and your brain has created some kind of illusion because you can't even remember what really happened" max told her.

There was a silence in the room and only the odd sniffle from Lauren could be heard.

Around six minutes later, she finally spoke. "So.. What did happen?" she asked.

"Well.." max pondered around the sentence. "You never came to us for help, you never told us about Lewis and how he was treating you" Max said.

"Alice told us.. She had gone round to your mums to walk to college with you and she saw Lewis.. He was beating you up" Max said.

"It made her feel sick, so she told us all about it, and the next day we knew you were meeting him, so me, Derek, jack and Alice, we all got together to follow you" max told her.

"What happened when you followed us?" Lauren asked her dad.

"Well I got Alice to film it.. Just in case but we saw him shove you on the ground before kicking you in the stomach and then he.. he started to undo his jeans, and that's when we ran in" max said.

Lauren had tears falling down her cheeks at this point, the fact she couldn't remember any of this, worried her to no end.

She cleared her throat, ready to hear the rest. "None of this is your fault Lauren, I promise" max said.

Everyone accept Joey was looking at Lauren with sympathetic eyes and weak smiles, and she didn't like it at all.

"It was me wasn't it?" Lauren asked, not asking nobody in particular but just asking all the same.

"What was you?" Alice asked innocently. "I did it didn't i? I killed Lewis.. i can see it all on your facial expressions" Lauren told them all.

"It wasn't on purpose" max said. "it was self-defence sweetheart" jack told her.

"That doesn't matter because i.. I stil..still k..killed somebody" Lauren sobbed.

Lauren dropped to the floor in floods of tears, max leaping forward.

Max sat on the floor with Lauren holding her close to him, this is why he didn't want her to remember.. Because it would ruin her.

Lauren sobbed and sobbed against her dad, wishing more than anything that it could be Joey holding her, but Lauren knew Joey had ran out just as she fell to the floor crying.

"I'm so sorry darling" max said, rocking Lauren as he cried himself, this was the last thing he wanted.

**Sooo… Lauren killed Lewis and only one of you guessed it right!**

**Leave a review please.. what do you think will happen next?**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter eighteen**

_Faith, hope and love are some great things he gave us, and the greatest is love - Alan Jackson_

Lauren and max were still on the floor two hours later, Lauren's sobs had died down but she wasn't reacting to anything around her.

Max had silently told everyone to leave the house so he could sit with Lauren.. He wasn't too impressed about joey running out either.

Lauren shifted in her dads arms. "What else..?" She mumbled. Max was confused for a second, caught off guard.

"Sorry.. What babe?" Max asked her. "What happened after you ran in, when you saw Lewis shove me to the ground and then undo his jeans" she explained.

"Oh.. Erm well I hit him but your uncle jack held me back, so your uncle Derek hit him" max smirked to himself, even though Lauren couldn't see.

"Then what?" She asked, ignoring his humour.

"Well Alice phoned the police and they arrested him.. You quite upset and a policeman approached you, you freaked out and may have punched him"

"Why did I do that?!" Lauren asked her dad, surprised at her own actions.

"Well I think it was because you were scared.. The way Lewis treated you changed you completely Lauren" max said, in a bit if a daze.

"How'd you mean?" She asked. Lauren knew what he meant really but she wanted to hear him explain.

"He treated you very badly and he made sure you we're alienate scared.. So everyone that came near you... You were scared of them, and nobody could touch you, not even hug you" max told her.

"When did that change?" She asked. "What do you mean?" Max asked.

"When did I stop becoming scared of the new people I met?" She asked.

"You didn't" max simply replied

Lauren furrowed her eyebrows together, neuter of the father daughter duo noticing the crowd at the door.

Alice, joey, jack and Derek seemed to be just as upset as the other two.

"Well I wasn't scared of joey when I first met him" Lauren frowned.

Max smiled along with everyone else. "Because you and joey had a connection straight away" max smiled.

"Did we?" Lauren asked. "Yep.. You both may have denied it but I could see how much joey already cared about you after five minutes of meeting you" he said.

"Yeah well.. That took a drastic turn didn't it" she scoffed.

"He's probably just shocked Lauren.. I mean it's not everyday you hear your girlfriend killed someone" max chuckled.

Lauren blushed, "he's not my boyfriend dad.." "And it's not funny either" she sighed.

"So what else happened?"

"Well because you punched the police officer you got out in a cell and because we all hit Lewis, we joined you" max said.

"Your uncle jack.. He sneaked a knife into the cell.. It was just to scare Lewis, so he snook it under your top after you'd been searched and then that was that"

"Anyway Lewis was mouthing off so I hit him.. Again, you was about to pass the knife to jack and Lewis threw himself at you.. Then he died basically"

"So I stabbed him?" Lauren asked. "Yeah, by accident though" max said.

"I still killed someone" she cried. "No you didn't babe, he came at you, it was his own fault" joey said, still stood at the door way.

Lauren froze in Max's arms, not expecting joey to be back in the house any time soon.

Everyone fell silent, waiting for a response from Lauren. That never came though, she was a very stubborn person.

"I think you two need to have a little chat" jack said.

"I think I should tell the police what I did.. Tell them the truth" Lauren announced.

"No freakin' way!" Alice screeched. Everyone's eyes widened as Lauren stood up.

"I should tell the truth Alice... Just like you should've told me the truth" she said.

"Ye about that.. I wanted to but dad wouldn't let me" she said.

Lauren glared at Derek, him pulling a 'what did I do?' Kind of face.

"You know your daughters pretty scary when she wants to be max" Derek chuckled.

Lauren sighed in frustration.. She didn't know how she was going to handle all of this.

"Can we talk... Please" joey asked. "Fine" Lauren mumbled, walking off upstairs to her room.

Joey released a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "Good luck.. You'll probably need it" max smirked.

"Ye.. Thanks" joey said, slowly going after Lauren.

**So I hope none of you are confused now.. And if you are I'm really sorry haha.  
So you know what happened, what do you think will happen next. Leave a review please:)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter nineteen**

_ Say something, I'm giving up on you. I'll be the one if you want me to, anywhere I would've followed you, say something I'm giving up on you. And I, am feeling so small, it was over my head, I know nothing at all, and I... will stumble and fall, I'm still learning to love, just starting to crawl. Say something I'm giving up on you. _

"So you wanted to talk?" Lauren asked joey, after several minutes of awkward silence. Lauren was stood at her window, staring out into the streets, just watching life past by.

Joey sat on the edge of Lauren's bed, his fingers entwined in his lap, while e thought about what he was going to say to her. "Ye" he mumbled.

"What do you wanna talk about? Us or the fact I murdered someone" she scoffed. "Lauren.." Joey sighed.

"What? It's true ain't it?" She asked, tears already making their way up to the surface.

Joey got himself up and made his way over to Lauren, stopping right behind her. He rested his hands on each of her shoulders.. And pressed his face into her hair, kissing it.

"Please don't blame yourself" he sighed. Lauren relaxed, feeling joeys touch, it calmed her.

"But I am to blame joey.." She said, her voice breaking at the end, on his name.

Joey turned her around pulling her safely between his arms and chest. Lauren started to sob continuously against him, so joey held her tighter, adding the odd kiss to the top of her head.

After about five minutes Lauren started to calm down, she knew crying wasn't going to get her anywhere.. But it sure did make her feel better.

She looked up at joey and he weakly smiled at her.. He used his thumb to wipe away the wetness underneath her eyes. "Your fine" he smiled at her.

"Thanks" she smiled back at him. Joey took Lauren's hand and led her over to the bed, both if them sitting down side by side.

"Lauren, you must know that this isn't your fault, Lewis.. He, he bullied you, he made you feel low and that's not right Lauren, he hurt you bad" joey sighed. "It was right for Alice to ring the police that day and I'm glad they arrested him.. And yes uncle jack taking a knife into the cell was not the brightest of ideas really" joey half laughed along with Lauren.

"But.. Lewis ran into you when he saw you had a knife babe, he knew you'd get into trouble for stabbing him and he knew it would hurt you didn't he?" Joey asked. "I suppose" Lauren mumbled.

"Wanna know what I think?" Joey asked. Lauren looked at joey, seeing the smirk on his face.

"What?"

"I think Lewis knew he had fucked up and he didn't want to go to prison.. So he ran into that knife when he saw you holding it. He knew he'd wt you into trouble and he knew it would hurt you. And you know what? If you go to the police and confess.. Your gonna get into trouble aren't you? And it's gonna hurt you babe, you'll be sad and lonely and then he's own ain't he?" Joey said.

"So I don't go to the police?" Lauren asked.

"No, they got nothing on you Lauren.. You'll be okay" joey told her. There was another silence, but not an awkward one this time. "What about us?" Lauren asked. Joey turned to look at Lauren and smiled.

"I think we need to keep our distance" joey said, shocking Lauren.

"What, why?" She asked, in a high pitched tone. "A lot has happened Lauren" he sighed.

"And I don't think you've come to terms with it yet, I think you need time on you own for a while.. To recover" "But I need you" she cried.

"And I need you too, but right now.. I'm not what you need, trust me" he said getting up off her bed. He placed a quick kiss to her forehead and left. "Joey" she cried again.

**Uh-oh! Leave a review please**.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter twenty**

_ First, you think the worst is a broken heart. What's gonna kill you is the second part and third is when your world splits down the middle, and fourth, your gonna think that you fixed yourself. Fith, you see them out with someone else. And sixth is when you admit that you may have fucked up a little. _

Lauren cried herself to sleep that night. She didn't allow anyone in her room to check up on her either, not even her dad was aloud in.

She went over the conversation in her head a lot. Joey had been supportive and understanding, he didn't blame her at all for anything to do with this whole thing, in fact if he was looking at anyone to blame, it was Lewis.

So that's the part she didn't get.. If he understood her perfectly well.. Why did he find it so easy to walk away? Unless, this was hard for him too, and he didn't find it easy to walk away?

No. Impossible.

He didn't even shed a tear, he just got up and left, not even thinking about Lauren, or that's what Lauren had decided was the truth anyway.

The next day wasn't much better either, Lauren stayed in bed again all day, going downstairs once for a drink of water.

Her dad looked at her like she was about to break, he pitied her; anyone could see that.

"Why don't you come to work with me today?" He asked. "No thanks" she mumbled, drinking her water.

"Lauren.." He sighed. "I said no" she stated. Max sighed, drinking the last of his coffee.

He walked over to Lauren and marched her up the stairs.

"Dad! What are you doing? Get off me!" She shouted at him, surprise in her tone. "As your father Lauren, I will not let this ruin you, it's gonna eat away at you if you let it" he said.

"And your point is?" She sulked. "My point is, I'm gonna be a proper dad this time, I'm not gonna fail you Lauren" he sighed.

"You never have" she mumbled. "Yes I have, I think that's one thing were both certain off.. Now go shower and get yourself ready.. I'm giving you fourty five minutes" max told her.

"For what?" She asked, stood outside the bathroom door. "For work with me" he smirked.

Lauren dramatically sighed. "Uh dad! Do I have to!" She moaned. "Yes Lauren, you do" max said on his way back down stairs.

Max waited for it, giving Lauren a couple of seconds to click on. "Dad! Joey works with you!" She shouted.

Max chuckled and walked into the living room hearing the bathroom door slam.

.JL.

One hour and five minutes later Lauren came into the living room, with a face like thunder too.

"Ready?" Max asked. "To go out? Yes. To face the people of walford? Never." She moaned.

"By people of walford, you mean joey yeah?" Max asked. "Joey hadn't even crossed my mind actually" Lauren told him.

"Course he hadn't, look Lauren, joey thinks he's doing the best thing here, but he's not, I think you both need each other to get through this" max told her.

Lauren's head snapped up. "You do?" "I'm a man with a plan babe, once joey sees you working and coping, he'll be straight there, he only wants to keep his distance so you can come to terms with what's happened, and I think moving on and getting on with everyday life will show him that" max said.

"Yeah?" Lauren smiled. "Trust me, only one way to find out ain't there" max said, walking out of the front door.

Lauren stood there in the middle of the living room cheekily smiling to herself, before realising she was meant to follow her dad.

She ran after him, hooking her arm through his own.

** Leave a review please:) do you really think joeys gonna buy this? So soon after finding out everything?**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter twenty one

_ You can take everything I have, you can break everything I am, like made of glass, like I'm made of paper, go and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground like a sky scraper. - Demi lovato _

Joey had been out selling cars all day on the front, he hadn't even seen Lauren today, Lauren and max had been in the office early.

On the other hand, Lauren had been sneaking through the office window every other minute.

"Why don't you just go out and say hello?" Max said, looking up from his paperwork.

"No thanks" she said. Pulling a 'why would I wanna do that?' Face. "It's clear you wanna talk to him Lauren.. For god sake just gout there and tell him how your doing, it'll put his mind at rest a bit too" max told her.

"I don't want to talk to him dad.. He wanted distance so I'm giving it him" she snapped. "Well you changed your tune" he told her.

"Well maybe I've been thinking this morning.. Joey said he wanted distance but he was there for me to talk? He was pitying me dad, so he can do whatever he wants because I don't need him"

"No joey loves you I know it, he just wants to give you some space to get your head around things" max said. "Your wrong" she mumbled. "Anyway I'll go get lunch yeah?" She asked.

Max held her for several seconds before giving in. He handed her a ten pound note before sighing.

Lauren made her way to the cabin door, taking a deep breath before she opened it.

She wondered what she looked like, she had black jeans on, black wedges, a casual purple top and her leather jacket.

Her hair was straight and she didn't have that much make up on. She made a mental note to herself that she didn't care what joey thought she looked like anyway.

She stepped out of the door and locked eyes into joey straight away. He was with a customer, a female customer.

They were clearly flirting, bug whether joey was doing it for business or personal purposes was something else.

She started walking down the path, ignoring the stares of joey she knew she was getting.

"Lauren!" He shouted after her. She turned around stopping aim the stop, as he caught up with her.

"What's up?" She asked. "What are you doing here? He asked. "Oh.. My dad just wanted me to help him out in the office"

"Right, well it's good to see you out and about, moving on and that" he said. Lauren smiled slightly.

"Ye good to see your moving on too.." She said, looking at the blonde girl behind him. Joeys face paled slightly, knowing exactly what she was referring to.

"Listen.." "Sorry joey, gotta go and pick up lunch for me and dad" she said, turning and walking away from him.

Joey stared after Lauren until she was no longer in sight, wondering how he should play this, or even if she should be playing this anymore.

.JL.

Upon entering the cafe, Lauren bumped into Alice and Derek. "Hi sweetheart" Derek said.

"Alright" Lauren mumbled back. "Seen much of joey?" Alice asked her. "Joey broke up with me, not that there was much to break up" Lauren scoffed.

Derek frowned while Alice had a lot of questions. "What! Why would he do that?" She asked.

"Dunno you'll have to ask him won't you" Lauren said, waiting for her order. "But that doesn't make sense" she said.

"Look Alice leave it, joey thinks we both need space after what happened, I'll see you later" she said before walking out. Lauren made her way back up the street, noticing two guys approaching her.

"Can I help you?" She snapped, noticing they were smirking at her. They were stood right outside her mums house.

Joey looked up from the car he was cleaning and noticed the guys talking to Lauren, he also noticed how uncomfortable she looked.

"Yes darling, I was just thinking how fit you look" he laughed, along with his friend. Lauren rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Well thanks for the compliment, but I have somewhere to be" she told them harshly. "Come on sweetheart, don't be like that" he said, putting his arm on her waist.

Lauren panicked but told herself she could handle this and wouldn't lose her cool.

Joey was furious and wanted nothing more than to go over there and knock ten bells out of these low life's, but be also wanted to see if Lauren could handle herself.

"Get your dirty hands off me before I do" she snapped at the guy, who just laughed in her face.

"I mean it" she warned them. The two guys looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Lauren was furious herself now, she wasn't going to be out in a position where some guy was gonna treat her in a bad way.

"Ow! What the fuck?" The guy screamed out as Lauren's knee smacked in-between his legs.

joey erupted into laughter, trying to contain himself before Lauren saw.

Unbeknown to Lauren, she had eyes on her from all angles. Her mum was stood at the front door of her house, her uncle Derek and Alice stood just outside the cafe and joey stood at the Car lot, all ready to pounce if anything was to happen.

Tanya came down the steps quickly to Lauren. Lauren looked at her confused for a minute, but her weak smile let her know that she wasn't going to give Lauren some kind of lecture.

"Clear off, you don't come near my daughter again" Tanya scolded them.

The guy was kneeling in the floor and didn't look like he was getting up anytime soon. "Good work baby, Go on darling, get back to your dad" she smiled.

Lauren smiled back and rushed up the road, not seeing joey watching her. Joey waited until Tanya had made her way through the square, also making sure Lauren was in the cabin before making his way down he road to where the guy was just getting up off the floor, his friend accompanying him.

"Oi!" Joey shouted. As he got closer he recognised the guys from college, they were low life's, thought they were something they weren't.

"What's up Joseph?" Adam smirked. "This" he said before swinging his arm back and lunging it into his face.

Joey heard the crack of a home and smirked, the other guy backing of a little. Joey reached for him by the scruff if his T-shirt, lifting him up of the floor and shoving him into the wall. "

You don't come near Lauren again" he warned. "Whose Lauren? I dong even know a Lauren" Adam told him.

"Lauren is the girl you just came onto, you know? The one that kicked you? Joey laughed. "You don't touch her, you don't even look at her okay? Because if you do, I will break more than a nose. You got that?" Joey asked.

"Yes okay" he said, both of them running off. Joey decomposed himself and made his way back over to the car lot. Derek and Alice had still kept their place outside the cafe, watching joeys every move.

Alice smiled. "He loves Lauren, that proves it" Alice smiled. Derek smirked. "Did you see them moves? He's definitely my son" he chuckled. Alice shook her head and they both walked towards their house.

**Leave a review please**.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter twenty two**

_Wish I knew that girl what I know now, wish I could some how go back in time and maybe listen to my own advice._

Lauren had spent the rest of the day in the cabin with her dad, she had explained her little hiccup with the two guys too.

Her dad had been furious but Lauren reassured him everything was fine, she may just have been a little smug about it too, she managed to keep her cool and sort the problem out herself.

Both max and Lauren did find it a little weird that Tanya had intervened though.

She wasn't the most likely candidate and max didn't really trust her. Lauren was aloud to leave early and go home.

She was going out with Alice tonight for the first time in a very long time. Max felt quite pleased with himself too, Lauren seemed to be getting back to her old self, she was definitely a lot happier today, until joey was brought up anyway.

.JL.

"Right see ya later dad" Lauren said, bending down to kiss his cheek. "See ya babe, be careful and have fun with Alice" he smiled.

Lauren smiled back and made her way out of the cabin, bumping into joey as she did.

"Oh steady" joey said, using his hands to give her some balance. Lauren looked up at him, a shade if pink on her cheeks he noticed.

"Sorry" she mumbled before speeding away from him.

Joey watched her leave, seeing the two same boys approach her as she got to the corner.

Joey smirked at them this time.

"Piss off, will ya" Lauren sighed as the boys stepped in front of her. "We don't want any trouble" the guy said, taking a step back and raising his hands in somewhat an action to prove his previous words.

Lauren raised an eyebrow at them. "What do you want then?" She asked. "I wanted to apologise Lauren, that was very rude of us before and it won't happen again" he told her.

"Okay.. Wait how'd you know my name?"

"Well er, your friend told us to back off" he mumbled. "What friend?" Lauren asked with a raised eyebrow. "Joey branning" he said.

Lauren was shocked that joey had stuck up for her, more pleased though, she smiled at the thought.

He must care about her right? If he's defending her. "Okay, thanks" Lauren said before walking off.

Joey smiled to himself before walking into the cabin.

.JL.

Lauren walked round to Alice's house with two outfits in hand, not sure which one to wear, and she needed advice.

She knocked on the door three times and waited for a reply. While she was waiting she put one dress in each hand studying them.

The door opened and Lauren didn't bother to look up, knowing Alice would be there. "Right which one, the black one is a big revealing and it's right so I don't wanna look fat and the white one is pretty much the same but it's a bit longer? I don't wanna look a mess so I need your help" she finally looked up after rambling on.

"The white one" the person stood at the door smirked. "Joey.. Sorry" she quickly said.

Joey smirked at her again and Lauren's face blew up into colour. "Alice not in?" She asked.

"She's just gone to the minute mart" joey said. "I..I'm just here cause Alice wanted to talk with me" joey told Lauren.

Was joey branning stuttering and explaining himself?

"Right, well tell her I'll see her later" Lauren told him.

"You can come in" joey quickly said. "If you like" he smiled. "Um okay" Lauren said, walking past joey and I to the kitchen.

Joey joined Lauren in the kitchen and it was pretty awkward. Lauren sighed. "I think I should go" she said.

"No don't go" he told her.

"Look joey, you wanted distance.. I'm giving it to you" "What if I was wrong?" He asked her.

Lauren paled slightly.. Yes he was bloody wrong, she thought to herself. "Not my problem" she said before walking away.

"Lauren!" Joey shouted, running after her. He grabbed her hand as she reached the front door.

"I want you back" he told her. "No you don't" she mumbled.

Joey pinned Lauren against the door and pressed his lips into hers. "Yes I do" he told her, breaking the kiss.

"And next time things get hard?" She asked. "Well are you planning on killing anyone else?" Joey smirked.

"No" she giggled, under his intense state. Joey threw her a lob sided grin. "Tell me one reason why we can't be together?" Joey asked.

Lauren blushed, biting her bottom lip and shrugged her shoulders, letting joey kiss her with ease this time.

** Leave a review please:)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter twenty three **

_When the rain is blowing in your face, and the whole world is on your case, I could offer you a warm embrace to make you feel my love._

"Joey?!" Alice shouted, from up the stairs. "What's up?" He shouted back.

"Do you think I should wear tights it no tights with this?" She asked him. "Tights!" He shouted quickly.

"You didn't even look" she frowned. "Still think you should wear tights" he said rolling his eyes. "But" she began. "No buts Alice!" Joey shouted back.

The front door opened and Derek walked into the house. "What's going on here?" He asked, seeing the frown on Alice's face.

"Alice asked me if she should wear tights with her dress and I said yes" joey said.

"And right you are son, put some tights on angel!" Derek also shouted up the stairs. There was a growl to be heard and them she disappeared.

Half an hour later, joey was still waiting at the bottom of the stairs for his sister. "Alice!" He shouted in frustration. "Ready" she said coming down the stairs in her dress and... Tights.

"I haven't heard from Lauren yet" she frowned.

"Oh yeah, she was round here earlier and she said to meet her at her house" joey said. "What did you say to her?" She half snapped.

"That you were out" he said. "If you've upset her i'll" Alice began. "And why would I do that?" Joey asked her.

"I honestly don't know joey, you seem to be doing it a lot lately" Alice glared at him.

"Trust me I didn't upset her" he smiled. "Oh yeah? What did you do?" Derek smirked, causing Alice to giggle.

"Because when I saw Lauren leaving earlier, she was up in the clouds" Derek chuckled.

"Shut up Derek" joey said walking out if the house, a giggling Alice following him.

"Have a good night children" Derek chuckled once more.

.JL.

"Lauren!" Max shouted up the stairs, receiving no answer. "She won't be a minute" max sighed.

"I'll go and hurry her up" Alice said, leaving the men to it.

Max waited until Alice was out of sight and then turned to joey. "What's going on with you and Lauren then?" Max asked.

"I don't know max, I want to be with her I'm just not sure if she does" joey told him.

"I know she does, why did you tell her that you wanted distance?" Max asked.

Joey stayed quiet, not really knowing what to say. "See I like you joey, but I love my daughter a hell of a lot more and not gonna see her cry herself to sleep or see her look like death again" he warned him.

"I know" joey said timidly. "So what you gonna do?" Max asked. "Well I wanna be with Lauren but I need to earn her trust back and I think we should take things slow" joey said.

"I think your right" max said. "Oh and joey, those guys that pestered Lauren, you hit them didn't you?" Max asked.

"Too right I did" joey said. Max smiled and patted him on the back. "Good lad, now go make my girl happy" he said.

Lauren and Alice came down the stairs, Lauren had a tight fitted white dress on, showing the right amount of cleavage.. Joey promised himself that he would be keeping a close eye on her tonight.

**Leave a review please:)**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter twenty four**

_Because maybe your gonna be the one that saves me, afterall your my wonderwall_

Lauren, Joey and Alice all left the house and made their way to the club, it wasn't a very comfortable walk, the silence was very awkward.

"So.. looking forward to tonight, Lauren?" Alice asked, attempting to break the silence.

"Yeah, I haven't been out in months" Lauren nervously laughed.

"Looks like we've got something to celebrate then don't it?" Alice smirked.

"Alice" Joey warned. "Chill out Joey, I'll be fine"

Alice giggled.

"Alice I'm serious.." Joey warned, again. "What's up with you two?" Lauren asked, seeing an argument about to erupt.

"Alice here has a reputation don't you Al? She can't handle the alcohol" Joey said.

Alice rolled her eyes and Lauren laughed. "Oh I know she can't" Lauren giggled.

"Right…?" Joey asked raising an eyebrow. "Long story but it taught me that I should keep all eyes on Alice when she's drinking" Lauren smirked.

Both Lauren and Joey started to laugh and Alice glared at them. "Shut up you two" Alice frowned as they walked down the steps to the club.

Lauren giggled again "I'll keep an eye on her" Lauren said, smiling at joey.

Joey smiled back at her and headed towards the office. "Lauren?" Joey shouted.

Lauren turned back around, her long hair flowing around her shoulders as she spun around.

"See you later babe?" he grinned.

"Ye… see you later" she said smiling too, she walked away feeling her cheeks heat up quickly.

**.JL.**

Joey laughed to himself for what seem like the one hundredth time. He looked over at the dance floor, seeing Lauren and Alice dancing with each other.

He guessed that the dance moves they were currently wearing weren't the usual ones, the girls had got themselves progressively drunk throughout the night and joey had thought about refusing to serve them a couple of times, but he knew they needed to relieve some stress and this was good for them both, to be out as friends and just have a fun time.

Joey was serving a customer when he raised his head seeing some guy talking to Lauren.

She didn't look very comfortable so joey finished serving the customer and then he kept an eye on Lauren.

Lauren swayed on the spot and pointed her finger in the other guys chest, seeing him smirk.

Joey grew more worried as Lauren started to look around her after the guy whispered something to her.

Her eyes connected with Joey's and they looked torn, she mouthed 'help' and Joey was over there like a shot, just as the other guy gripped her waist.

"Oi, off her now!" Joey said, shoving the guy away and pulling Lauren into his side.

"What's it got to do with you?" the guy slurred. Joey laughed "everything mate" he said moving his face right in front of the other guys.

"okay… what you gonna do if I don't get off her?" the guy smirked.

Joey smirked back at the guy, realising the idiot was trying to challenge him.

Joey released Lauren from his hold and swung his arm backwards, letting it fly forward into the culprits face, knocking him to the floor.

Joey then bent down to the floor. "I hope that answers your question" he said before getting up.

Lauren looked a bit shell shocked, so joey put his arm around her shoulders, bringing her forward and kissing her forehead, before leading her to the steps of the club.

Joey pressed his lips onto Laurens soft ones, both of them smiling as they broke apart. "Are you alright?" he asked. Lauren smiled at him "yeah, I cant find alice though" she frowned.

Joey and Lauren made their way outside to see Alice throwing her guts up outside the club.

Joey rolled his eyes and sighed, him and Lauren heading over to help,

"You two can stop at mine tonight, none of you will be in any fit state for a lecture of your dads tomorrow… and yes ill ring them both to know where you are" he told them.

They both smiled at Joey, Alice falling under his protecting arm as Joey entwined his other hand with Laurens.

**Leave a review please **


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter twenty five **

_Its so amazing how something so sweet , Has come and rearranged my life, I've been kissed by destiny Oh, heaven came and saved me. An angel was placed at my feet, This isn't ordinary, he's loving me for me. _

Joey was the first one up the next morning, of course he was.

Alice was the first one to get out of bed, making a quick trip to the bathroom first.. It turned out to be longer than a quick trip as she threw up most of last nights drinks.

She smiled at joey as she walked into the kitchen, he had a coffee there waiting for her.

"Morning" he smirked. "Hm" Alice mumbled.

She took a long sip of her coffee before putting it on the table, sitting herself down across from joey.

"Was I much trouble last night?" She asked him, guilty look in place.

"No you were fine.. Lauren got herself in a bit of bother when you disappeared though, some guy tried it on with her" joey said.

He wasn't really looking at Alice when he said it.. More just lost in his own thoughts. "What happened?" Alice asked.

"He grabbed her waist and got cocky so I knocked him onto the floor... He won't be bothering her again" joey said.

"Good" Alice smiled. A silence fell over them as Alice grabbed the painkillers from the cupboard, she took them with a glass of water while making herself and joey another cup of coffee.

She noticed joey had been pretty quiet since she got up, she didn't want to bother him but she had a good idea what was on his mind...or who.

"Sooo..." She laughed as se sat back down, handing joey his coffee.

Joey rolled his eyes, "what?" He smiled. "Anything happen with you and Lauren last night?" She smirked.

"I don't kiss and tell Alice.." He laughed. "Oh my god.. It did didn't it?" She asked excitedly before giggling. "I guess you'll never know... Not from me anyway" joey laughed. Alice frowned at joey. "I'm really glad Lauren has you joey" Alice told him. Joey smiled at his sister weakly. "I hope we can work things out, I'm pretty sure we can" joey said, reassuring himself more than anything.

"Don't you think you need to sort things out with daisy first? Have you told Lauren about daisy yet?" Alice asked.

"Ssh" joey scolded. "No I haven't told her... Yet, I think she would freak" he admitted.

"She your past joey.. A part of your life, maybe even your future... I know you want her to be your future so don't even deny it joey, you love daisy" Alice said.

"I know, probably more than I've ever loved anyone in my life but I love Lauren too" joey sighed.

"Well I think you need to figure things out joey, you need to sort your life out... I won't let you hurt Lauren, but at the same time, I don't want you to hurt daisy either" Alice told him.

"I don't expect you to leave daisy for Lauren joey, I'm sure Lauren will completely understand"

"I know" he sighed again.

Joey got up from the table and started to make Lauren a coffee, after hearing the bedroom door open.

He put it on the table and picked his hoody up, slinging it over his head and down his body.

"Were you going?" Alice asked, in a whisper, hearing Lauren coming out of the bathroom.

"Daisy" he whispered back.

Alice weakly smiled and nodded at him, knowing that daisy mattered just as much as Lauren did.

Alice knew for a fact that joey would drop anything at the chance to see daisy, this was the first time he's seen her this week so he took it.

"Morning" Lauren said, walking into the kitchen. "Morning sleepy" Alice smiled.

"Was that joey?" Lauren frowned. "Ye he made you that coffee but had to dash to the club, something about the accounts" Alice lied.

"Oh" Lauren replied. "I guess I'll catch him later.. Right I've gotta go the car lot before my dad throws a tantrum" Lauren laughed.

"Ok bye babe, I'll text you later" Alice smiled as Lauren hugged her.

**.JL. **

Lauren walked over the square to the car lot, thinking about what Alice had said.

Joey was fine with her last night and she didn't even catch a glimpse of him this morning... She did wonder if he had changed his mind about the two of them. She shook her head, telling herself she was being silly.

She knew there was only in away to find out if joey had changed his mind, and that was to ask him. So that's what she was going to do. She changed her direction and headed over to the club.

The doors were open so she let herself in. She made her way down the stairs and knocked on the office door, waiting patiently.

"Oh hey love" Phil said, opening the office door.

"Uh hi Phil, erm is joey here?" Lauren asked him. "Not today.. He's back tomorrow night" Phil chuckled.

"Oh I must've got the wrong day" she chuckled, turning around.

"Lauren.." Phil said bringing her to a stop. "Yeah?" She asked turning around.

"Everything alright on the Lewis front? Nobody's giving you any grief are they?" He asked. Lauren smiled. "Everything's okay now thank you Phil" she admitted.

Phil smiled and stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. "Good.. Now if anyone does happen to give you any trouble at all.. You just come see your uncle Phil and I'll sort it out" he smiled.

Lauren chuckled before nodding, then walking out of the club.

If anything her worries were heightened, joey wasn't at work today so where was he? It's not that he had to tell her where he would be every minute of everyday... But why lie?

**What do you thinks going on with joey? Whose daisy? Will he haveto choose between the two of them? Leave a review please:)**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter twenty six.**

_No the rain won't last forever, Find a way to make it better, Long as we can stand together, Love will find a way, Gonna make a new tomorrow, Say goodbye to tears and sorrow,Better listen when I say  
'Love will find a way'_

Lauren suffered a hard days work. Her dad had set her on cleaning the whole office out top to bottom, she knew there was nothing practical for her to do but her dad wanted to keep an eye on her so he gave her stupid little jobs.

Her dad had been outside all day selling cars, joey hadn't turned in, telling max he had a family emergency back home.

So Lauren was left to her own thoughts for most of the day, which annoyingly always ended up tracking back to joey.

She let her mind wander to all the times they had spent together, he had made Lauren feel... Special, wanted, loved... Like she belonged somewhere.

She just wondered now what had changed.

.**JL**.

Joey got on the train later that night with a smile on his face, he'd spent the whole day with his girl.. And they had just been lazy and watched movies all day cuddled up on the sofa together.

He couldn't think of anything more perfect, that was until guilt washed over him when he thought about Lauren.

He loved Lauren, he really did. But he loved daisy too.. Maybe more. He couldn't let her down, he'd already done that once, he wasn't going to do it again.

He got off the train and made his way to his flat, letting himself in and slumping on the sofa.

Joey let his mind back track to the earlier hours of today.

.flashback.

_"Daisy..?" Joey asked the beautiful girl, laid on his chest._

_"Yes?" She smiled up at him innocently._

_"You know I love you don't you? More than anything in the world?" He asked her._

_"I know you do.. I love you too, it's not your fault there's bad people in this world" she said._

_Joey smiled at her words and kissed the top of her head, turning his attention back to the film._

**.end of flashback**.

"Good day?" Someone asked making joey jump.

"Alice! You scared the life out of me" joey chuckled.

"How's daisy?" Alice smiled. Joey smiled back at her. "She's brilliant, it brightened my day up seeing her Alice, it just let me know how much I love her... And I'm not going to let her down again Al" joey said.

"Good.. That's what I was hoping you'd say" Alice said, sitting next to him.

In the mean time Lauren used her key to get into joeys flat, she stopped in the hallway hearing Alice and joey in a deep conversation.. She waited there not wanting to interrupt. Although she got more than she bargained for.

_"Good.. That's what I was hoping you'd say" Alice told joey._

"I thought you were team Lauren?" Joey asked Alice.

"I am but I love daisy.. She needs you joey, Lauren will understand" Alice said.

Lauren frowned... Who was daisy?

"I love daisy, Alice. I can't be guilty for feeling that way, I'll just have to explain to Lauren" joey said.

"What if she doesn't understand joey, what if she doesn't like it?" Alice asked.

"Then that's Lauren's choice ain't it.. Balls in her court Al, I just hope she let's me explain everything before she decides" joey sighed.

Lauren looked through the gap of the door, seeing them both sat on the sofa.

"So get a picture of her?" Alice laughed. "Course I did, got one of us both together" he said getting out his phone.

"Aw I will never get over how naturally pretty she is" Alice giggled. "Ye she truly is such a beautiful girl ain't she? I'm glad she's mine" joey said.

Lauren took a step back from the door as tears streamed down her cheeks.

She could feel herself about to choke on the sobs that she was desperately trying to keep in, so she quietly made her way outside.

**Short one... Leave a review please:) anyone have any idea who daisy is yet and why joey seems to be so in love with her? Well your gonna find out in tomorrow's chapter X**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter twenty seven **

_Everyday is so wonderful, and suddenly, it's hard to breathe, now and then, I get insecure from all the pain, i'm so ashamed. _

Joey was watching tv in his flat and he was pretty bored, he checked his phone for the hundredth time, frowning when he saw there was no messages or missed calls from Lauren.

Joey thought they were getting on well, really well in fact. He could never read Lauren, she was a difficult person but I guess that was one of the things that reigned him in.

Joey contemplated on contacting her, he didn't want to push her but... He did want to take their relationship to the next level, at the moment they were barely friends and joey wanted more than that, he was pretty sure Lauren did too. Joey sighed to himself, opening up his messages and sending a quick text to Lauren.

_Hi babe, sorry I had to rush off this morning.. I had some stuff to sort out.. I was hoping me and you could meet up tonight.. To talk, don't worry if it's too late for you though. Hope to see you soon babe Xxx j._

Joey threw his phone onto the sofa, hoping he'd hear from Lauren soon. He really needed to talk to her about daisy, if he had to choose.. It would be daisy every time, he loved Lauren but daisy was his life.

He just hoped that he didn't have to choose between the two of them, because that wouldn't be easy for him... He'd come to know and love Lauren very much, he didn't want to throw it away.

Joeys phone beeped around twenty minutes later and he practically jumped for his phone. He smiled and opened the text, seeing it was from Lauren.

_Hi joey, yeah I can come over now if you like? X L. _

Joey frowned at Lauren's message, it was very... Blunt and straight to the point. He typed out a quick message and sent it to her, then he just had to wait for her to get here.

.**JL**.

Lauren told her dad she was heading over to see joey for a while and then she left the house. She was really nervous as she made her way there, she had a bad feeling about this... She'd already guessed joey had invited her over to talk about daisy, and she didn't think it was gonna go that well so she geared herself up for the worst.

She rubbed the palm of her hands into her jeans, feeling more nervous now she was stood outside his door. She didn't know whether to knock or whether she should just go back home. However, before she could decide, the door swung open revealing a smiling joey.

"Hey babe.. What you doing stood out here?" He asked. "I was just about to come in" Lauren smiled. "Come here" joey said, pulling Lauren into his arms.

Lauren wasn't reluctant, it felt good to be held by joey. She rested her chin on his shoulder, it somewhat giving her a little comfort.

Joey pulled away and looked at Lauren properly.. He took her hand and lead them both into the house. "Are you okay?" He asked, frowning. "Ye I'm alright, thanks" she lied.

"What's on your mind babe?" Joey asked, sensing something was wrong. "Nothing" she said shrugging her shoulders.

"Here let me take your coat" joey said, holding out his hand. Lauren took a step back from joey, causing him to frown at her. "I won't be staying that long" she said, tears already blurring her vision.

"Ay. What's wrong?" Joey asked, the concern in his voice evident. Lauren took another step back, holding her hand out to stop him from getting closer to her.

"Look joey if your gonna stop seeing me, I'd rather you just tell me now than trying to be nice about it" she said, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.

Joey stared at the girl in front of him, the girl he loved, he stared at her with sadness and confusion.

**What do you thinks gonna happen next? When will we meet daisy do you think?.. Leave me a review please. X**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter twenty eight **

_I'm not the type to get my heart broken, i'm not the type to get upset and cry...cause I never leave my heart open, never hurts me to say goodbye, relationships don't get deep to me, never got the whole in love thing.. And someone can say they love me truly, but at the time it didn't mean a thing._

Joey continued to look at Lauren, wondering what she knew.

"Babe.." He began. "No joey. Don't babe me" she cried. "Don't do that if your going to leave me alone" she said.

"I'm not going to leave you" he said confused. Lauren bitterly scoffed at him.

"No of course your not, cause we'd actually have to be going out for that wouldn't we?" She told him.

"Why are you being like this?" He snapped. "I would've asked you out.. I just didn't want to push you into anything" joey frowned.

"Or... You'd rather be with someone else than me?" She asked him. "No" joey frowned. "I want you and only you" he told her firmly. "Oh yeah? So whose daisy then?" She asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Joeys face paled slightly.. He had no idea how Lauren knew about daisy, she wasn't meant to know... Not yet anyway.

"What do you know about daisy?" Joey asked. "I came round earlier but you and Alice were talking so I waited in the hallway.. I didn't want to interrupt" she said. "Anyway I waited outside and I heard you saying you've spent the day with daisy.. You said how beautiful she was and how in love with her you are" Lauren said, her eyes filling up again.

"Oh Lauren" joey sighed, stepping forward.

"No, please don't" she cried. "You've got this all wrong Lauren" joey laughed.

Lauren frowned at him, why was he laughing? "I love you Lauren, I really do" joey admitted. Lauren felt humble for a second, she wanted to smile with joy but she also wanted to shout at him with anger.

"Don't lie to me" she frowned. "I'm not babe, I only want you" he said. Lauren raised both eyebrows and pursed her lips together.

"I think I've heard enough" she said, spinning around on the spot and walking away. "No! Lauren wait... Please babe" he said, running in front of her. He stood in front of the door so she couldn't go any further, Lauren stuffed her hands in her coat pockets, beginning to get annoyed with him.

"Move" she snapped. "I'm sorry Lauren, I should've told you sooner, I just didn't know how" he sighed.

Lauren pursed her lips together, looking down at the ground. She wouldn't allow joey to see any more of her tears.

"Just let me leave" she said, her voice breaking. "Lauren, daisy she's... I love her, I do but not in the way I love you" he began, Lauren cutting him off.

Lauren scoffed. "Nice, whatever... What were you hoping? Have the both of us?" She asked, laughing bitterly while attempting to get to the door. "Yes" he said simply.

Lauren looked at joey in disgust and it was only then he realised what he had just said. "God no! No Lauren! I love daisy but I love her because she's my... She's my daughter" joey sighed.

Lauren looked up at joey in shock. "She's what?" She asked, wondering if her head hadn't made that little scenario up.

"My daughter, daisy is my seven year old daughter" joey told her. "Oh. Why didn't you tell me?" She frowned. "I wanted to tell you Lauren.. I just didn't know how" he sighed. "I'm sorry" he mumbled.

Lauren smiled at him weakly, not quite sure what to say. "It's okay... Can I have a hug?" She asked. It was joeys turn to look up in surprise, a good surprise though.

"It's been a tough day" she said shrugging her shoulders.

Joey smiled at her and took her hand, leading her over to the sofa. Joey sat down first, Lauren sitting on his lap. "Come here" he said, Lauren letting her head rest on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Lauren, I should've told you sooner" he said as his arms wrapped tight around her waist.

"That's your business joey, you don't need to feel guilty" she told him. Joey smiled and turned his head to kiss her forehead.

"Did you mean what you said joey? Do you really love me?" She shyly asked. "I do love you Lauren, I love you so much" he told her.

"I love you too" she told him, removing herself off his lap to sit beside him. "Yeah?" He asked, smiling at her.

She smiled and nodded at him. "You've got daisy to think of joey... She's your daughter, she must come first" Lauren told him.

"I know that.. But I want you too, I want us all together" joey told her, pushing some hair behind her ear.. As she leant face forward against his arm.

"What about Daisy's mum?" Lauren asked. "She died three tears ago" joey said. "Oh I'm sorry joey" Lauren said, mentally slapping herself for bringing it up.

"It's alright, me and Emily were barely together, we had daisy when we were fourteen" joey said. "Fourteen? Wow" she said.

"Yeah Emily died shortly before her 21st birthday.. She had a brain tumour and it was too late to do anything about it by the time they caught it" joey sighed.

"Oh no, where's daisy now?" Lauren asked, frowning. "She's living with Brenda, Emily's mum, only temporarily though, she's lived with me ever since Emily died but when I came here, I told Brenda I was moving here so she offered to look after daisy while I found us somewhere to live"

"So when is she coming here?" Lauren asked. "Well I was working on telling you and then I was going to get her after that" he said.

"Well you've told me now" she smiled. "Your okay with daisy?" He asked. "Of course I am joey, she's your daughter.. A part of you" Lauren said.

Joey smiled. "I love you" he said, moving forward and allowing their lips to meet in a brief kiss. "I love you" she mirrored.

"You know.. I've told daisy about you and she can't wait to meet you" joey said. "You have?" Lauren asked in shock. "Of course I have babe" he smiled. Lauren smiled back at him and buried herself against him.

"So I was thinking... Would you be my girlfriend now?" Joey asked. Lauren felt the heat in her cheeks as she nodded at him enthusiastically. "Yes" she giggled.

**So there you go. Leave a review please:) how do you think daisy will react to Lauren? X**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter twenty nine **

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world. _

Lauren and joey lay together on the sofa... Then had spoke about daisy most of the night, joey had explained how much daisy meant to him and she was always in his best interest.

Joey had also nervously invited Lauren to stay the night too. Lauren was more than willing to accept but as the night grew, she got more and more nervous.

Lauren wanted to take her relationship further, she wanted them to be a normal couple but most of all she just really wanted to make love with joey... It's something she had wanted to do for a long time now, but after everything with Lewis, how he had forced her to have sex with him over and over... It scared her to no end.

Joey noticed that Lauren had gone quiet and she looked pale too. "You tired babe?" He asked as Lauren yawned.

Lauren lazily nodded in to his chest. Joey chuckled and lifted her up to stand up with him.

"Come on babe" he said kissing the top of her head. Joey threw his arm over Lauren's shoulders and brought her to lean into him, before walking through to the bedroom.

Lauren sat on the edge of the bed while joey stripped down to his boxers. She stared at him as he undressed himself, not being able to remove her eyes from him. She did finally peel her eyes away after joey was just left in his boxers.

joey made his way over to Lauren and he cautiously sat beside her, seeing her posture wasn't at its best. She was sat on the edge of the bed, both feet on the floor and staring straight ahead at the blank wall. Her hands were facing flat down on the mattress each side of her legs. "Babe?" He asked, not getting a response. "Lauren, babe?" He asked again, this time resting his hand on her shoulder, rubbing it slightly.

Lauren's breath faltered and she flinched slightly. Joey frowned at her as she flinched at his touch. "What's wrong ay? It's only me babe" he said. Lauren felt guilty for zoning out on him them flinching when he touched her.

Lauren turned to look at him, there faces barely inches apart. "I'm sorry" she whispered, tears escaping her eyes.

Joeys eyes softened and he enveloped her into a tight comforting hug, as she cried. Joey rubbed his hand up and down her back, trying to give her a little comfort. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Joey asked, removing them both from the hug.

Lauren looked at him hesitantly. "It doesn't matter.. It's silly" she told him. Joey frowned once more and used his thumb to wipe away a lone tear. "It's not silly if it's got you crying, you can tell me anything Lauren" he said.

"I'm just.. I'm just scared" Lauren admitted. "Of me?" Joey asked with sad eyes. Lauren looked at joeys facial expression and she felt guilty once again. "No.. Not of you" she mumbled, looking down at their hands as she nervously played with his fingers. "Then what is it babe? Tell me, cause I don't like to see you cry" he told her.

"Erm.." She stuttered. "It's okay take your time" he told her. Lauren looked up at him shyly. "Promise you won't get mad?" She asked. "Of course not, I could never be mad with you" he said, resting his hand on her thigh. Lauren smiled weakly looking at him.

"I'm scared of.. I think I'm scared of us you know, having sex" she said, looking down. Joey frowned for a moment, he knew Lauren would obviously be scared of sex after what she'd been through with Lewis.. And he often felt guilty as his mind always tended to imagine what it would be like to have sex with Lauren.

"Do you mean, you're scared because of what happened with Lewis?" He asked. Lauren nodded, still looking down at the mattress. Joey sighed and pulled Lauren into another hug. "Lauren you do know I'd never force you into anything you didn't want to do? I'd never hurt you babe" he sighed, still holding her. "I know that" she told him, relied washing through him.

"Whenever your ready is fine with me Lauren" he told her. "I think I'm ready now, I just didn't know if you were" she told him.

"You are?" he asked. "I haven't stopped thinking about what it would be like to be with you in that way.. I know I should be terrified of the thought after everything I went through with Lewis, yes I am scared a little but nowhere as near as what I should be, I just feel different with you.. Safe, I feel safe" she told him.

"I'm glad, cause I've been thinking about you a lot too" he admitted. "I love you joey" she whispered, leaning up to kiss his lips softly. "I love you too" he told her.

**Leave a review please**.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter thirty **

_When the rain is blowing in your face, and the whole world is on your case, I could offer you a warm embrace, to make you feel my love. When the evening shadows and the stars appear, and there is no one there to dry your tears, I could hold you for a million years, to make you feel my love. _

That night, Lauren had been so exhausted.. She'd fell to sleep in joeys arms before she even had the chance to undress.

Joey held on to her tight, it hurt him to know she felt so scared and lonely sometimes.. That was all going to change though.

Joey laid Lauren down gently on the bed and began to undress her. First he removed her shoes, socks and jeans, peeling his eyes away from her ever so long legs. Then he lifted her top from her body, leaving her in just her underwear.

Joeys eyes betrayed him and glued to the top half of her body, she was beautiful.

He shook his head, almost mentally hitting himself. He then retrieved one of his white T-shirts from his drawer and pulled if over her head and on her body. He laid her under the covers gently and then covered her up again, getting into bed beside her himself.

He pulled Lauren against him, wrapping his arms around her waist. He smiled into her hair as she instantly curled into him. "Night sweetheart" he said.

**.JL. **

Lauren was the first one to wake up the next morning, she was surprised it was gone ten, normally... Well ever since all the stuff with Lewis, she'd be up a couple of times through the night due to nightmares and then she'd still be up at the crack if dawn. Sleeping with joey obviously made her happy in more than just the one way.

Lauren felt her skin tingle as joey moves in his sleep, his arm moving tighter around her. She smiled to herself, stretching in the bed, although she stilled again feeling her bare legs rub together. She peeked under the covers seeing she was in joeys T-shirt and her underwear.

This didn't bother her though because she knew joey had only undressed her out of the kindness of his own heart, he'd clearly done it to make her more comfortable.

She stretched her neck out slightly, peppering soft open mouthed kisses onto joey cheek, eventually causing him to groan. Lauren knew he was awake now but continued to place kisses on his cheek anyway. Joey chuckled, his eyes still shut."Morning baby" he said, peeking through one eye and flashing her his sexy grin.

Lauren blushed under his gaze, partly because he looked hot first thing in the morning and partly because he'd just called her 'baby' for the first time.

"Good morning" she mumbled back. "Did you sleep alright babe?" He asked, turning into his side and using his elbow for support. "Best sleep I've had in ages.. I didn't wake up once in the night and I didn't wake up til just gone ten either" she smiled.

"Well I'm very pleased" he smiled. "I bet you are" she smirked. Joey chuckled at her, lowering his lips onto her soft ones. Their lips met and Lauren felt different this time. She didn't know if it was cause she woke up with him or whether she was starting to see her life in a new light.. Whatever it was she liked it.

The sensations that ran through her body brought a smile to her face. "Someone's happy this morning" joey said, breaking their brief kiss. "Yeah well things are different now aren't they?" She smiled. Joey swept the hair that was making it's way over her face behind her ear and smiled at her.

"I'd be even happier if you kissed me again... Properly this time" she laughed. Joey rose an eyebrow at her. "Is that a challenge... Cause I love a challenge" he smirked. "Maybe" she giggled as he crashed his lips onto hers this time.

Joey ran his tongue across the bottom of Lauren's lips, and she opened her mouth letting him take advantage. Both of them got lost in the kiss, enjoying the feeling they were getting from just kissing each other. Joey let his crotch press into Lauren's as his body relaxed against hers. "Ah" she moaned loudly, the feeling going down well with her.

Joey froze and climbed of her suddenly. Lauren frowned. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked. "No it wasn't you, it's me.. I took it too far, I'm sorry" he said sitting on the edge of his bed, facing away from Lauren.

"Joey" Lauren sighed. "No no it's fine, I shouldn't of gotten carried away" he said. Lauren sighed to herself, she crawled across the bed and leant up on her knees. "You've done nothing wrong joey" she said, entwining her hands together and resting them on top of joeys shoulder.

"I know your not ready yet, I shouldn't of pushed you" he told her. Lauren turned joeys head, using her hand so he was facing her. "If I wasn't ready, I wouldn't of told you to kiss me again would I? I am ready joey, I've probably always been ready to be with you.. I just hadn't known it" she admitted.

"I don't want to push you into anything Lauren" he said. "I know you don't, I know your not that kind of person joey.. Please don't compare yourself to Lewis cause your nothing like him.. Your nice to me, you respect me, you love me and I know you'd never hurt me" she said.

Joey smiled and let his thumb stroke her cheek. "I'd never hurt you, and I do love you so much" he said. "I know" she smiled. "Are you sure this is what you want?" Joey asked. "I'm very sure" she smiled, taking his hand in hers. Joey smiled back at her and Lauren pressed her lips to his again, continuing where they left off.

There lips moved together and soon enough there tongues were moving with each other's greedily again. Lauren gripped onto the too of joeys arms, so watching she'd wanted to do for a while now. She let her hands travel down to the bottom of her t-shirt, before lifting it up her body and over her head, slinging it across the room.

Joey moved down to her waist, gripping onto her knickers, he looked up at Lauren once more for her approval. She nodded at him and he tore away her knickers. He then stood up and removed his boxers before climbing back on the bed and up to his girlfriend. "Sit up" he said. Lauren did as she was told and she sat up. Joey leaned against her, and reached behind her back to unclasp her bra.

He removed it successfully, it joining the rest of their clothes on the floor. Their kissing continued and then joey peppered kisses from her mouth all the way down to her belly button.

Lauren felt the goose pimples on her body, a way of her body reacting to joeys touch. He kept his ministrations going and then he lowered his mouth onto her clit, receiving several moans from Lauren.

"Joey I need you now" she said, breathlessly. Joey smiled and crawled on top of her, lining himself against her entrance. He glanced at Lauren seeing she was becoming her impatient. "Are you sure?" He asked again. She nodded at him enthusiastically causing joey to laugh. He pushed inside her in a slow motion, soaking up every bit of feeling he could. They both moaned as joey went in as deep as he possibly could. Joey stilled as Lauren got used to the feeling of him inside her. He pressed his lips into hers and then he began moving within her. They began slow, joey not wanting to hurt her it push her too far, but Lauren had demands of her own and they soon began moving a lot faster.

"Joey" Lauren panted. "are you close baby?" He asked. "Mhm" she mumbled, catching her breath. Joey pound into her hitting her sensitive spot everyone until se came apart beneath him, when joey knew she was satisfied, he let himself hit his high too.

Joey collapsed at the side of Lauren, both of them panting. "That was just.. Wow" Lauren giggled. Joey also laughed next to her, rolling over and wrapping his arm around her naked frame.

**.JL. **

A phone call from max meant both Lauren and joey had to go into work because he couldn't handle all the new clients he was getting. So Lauren and max would handle all of the paper work while joey handled the sales side of things outside.

As the day went on max noticed a change in Lauren, she was on cloud none, she was very happy in fact. Max looked up from his paperwork like he had done a couple of times now to see his daughter sat across from him, staring into space with a great big smile on her face.

Max chuckled bringing Lauren out of her little day dream. "What?" She asked. "You seem rather happy today" he said. "I am" she replied. Max looked out of the window seeing joey with the same wide smile plastered onto his face as he walked around serving customers like he was also on cloud nine.

"Well I don't want to know the details but I'm glad you and joey are happy together, I hope he's looking after you" max said. "He is" Lauren smiled back at her dad. Lauren looked out of the window and caught joeys eye. Joey winked at her causing max to chuckle and for Lauren's cheeks to turn a bright shade of pink.

**Leave a review please:) xx**


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter thirty one**

_ With eyes that make you melt, he lends his coat for shelter, plus he's there for you, when he shouldn't be, but he stays all the same... Waits for you, then sees you through. _

The rest of the day went torturously slow for Lauren, he had been watching joey through the window for some time now, blushing when he caught her.

Max had left early to go to a car auction out of town, leaving Lauren and joey alone. Lauren had finished every last bit of paperwork and was currently in the swivel chair making her own entertainment.

Joey had been busy with customers all afternoon which meant he couldn't ger to the office to see Lauren, so that smile he had plastered on his face this morning was starting to fade.

A loud knock on the door broke Lauren from her thoughts, she got up to answer it, before they banged twice as loud. "Alright I'm coming" Lauren said opening the door.

She opened the door to a tall man, about middle aged, he was dressed in a grey suit and Lauren didn't like the look of him straight away.

"Can I help you?" She asked politely. "Max branning in?" He snapped. "No he's gone to a car auction, can I take a message?" Lauren asked. "Yes.. You can tell him I want my money back for the piece of crap he sold me last week" he snapped again, walking into the office uninvited.

Lauren sighed to herself, looking up she noticed joey looking at her concerned as he dealt with the customers. He mouthed 'okay?' To her and she smiled and nodded at him, turning around and walking into the office herself.

"Well I'll be sure to pass the message on" Lauren said. "Who are you anyway?" He snapped. "I work here" she said. "Well surely if you work here you can refund me?" He asked. "I'm sorry.. I'm not authorised to do so, I'm only here sorting out paperwork" Lauren said, trying to keep calm.

"I want my money back!" He snapped. "Well I'm sorry sir, but your gonna have to take that up with my dad.. So if you don't mind!" She snapped back. "Dad.." He laughed.

"Well you can ring your dad and tell him to come back here and sort his mess out then... Can't you sweetheart" he snapped again, taking a step closer. "I don't know who you think you are coming in here and shouting the odds! But it's not appreciated so I suggest you leave" Lauren told him.

The guy smirked at her and took another step closer Lauren, backing her into the wall. Lauren's breathing picked up and she felt like the walls were closing in on her. He laughed bitterly. "Nobody rips me off" he said, angrily. "Yeah well it wasn't me who ripped you off!" She shouted, becoming more angry than scared now.

"So leave" she said, calmer this time. The guy rested his hand on the wall above Lauren's head and leant closer to Lauren's face. "Whose gonna make me?" He smirked.

"You bitch!" He shouted as Lauren kneed him in between the legs. "You'll fucking pay for that!" He snapped, regaining his posture. Lauren panicked and rushed out of the cabin bumping into joey as she did.

"Woah" he said catching her in his arms. "Joey" she almost cried. Joey looked at Lauren then at the guy who seemed to be just getting up of the floor. "Has he hurt you?" Joey asked, receiving a shake of the head from Lauren. "Get out!" Joey said, talking to the guy.

"I only came in here for my money and she attacked me" the guy told joey. "Yes cause you backed me into the corner and threatened me!" Lauren snapped back. "You what? Get out now!" Joey said.

"Like I said to her, are you gonna make me?" The guy smirked again. "Right" joey angrily said before moving Lauren out of his arms.

"Stop!" Someone said from behind them. "I'll deal with this one" Derek said, adjusting his tie, before walking into the cabin and closing the door behind him. Lauren and joey both shared a worries glance but decided it was best to not get involved. Lauren looked up at joey as they heard a loud crash coming from the cabin. "Come on babe" joey said taking Lauren's hand.

**.JL. **

"You alright?" Joey asked Lauren, taking her coat as they got back to his flat. "Yeah" Lauren smiled. Joey forces a smile. "Joey" Lauren sighed. "Yeah?" He asked turning back around. "You don't have to worry about me" she told him. "I'm sorry babe I can't help it, I just don't want nobody hurting you no more" he told her, tucking some hair behind her ear.

Lauren smiled at him and pressed her lips onto his. "I love you" she said in between kisses. Joey repeated those same words back to her, as the kiss got more passionate suddenly. "Joey" Lauren panted. "Bedroom" she panted again.

Joey smiled into the kiss and picked Lauren up, she wrapped her legs around his waist as they stumbled into the bedroom... Their lips still attached.

**Leave a review please**.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter thirty two **

_Your hand fits in mine..Like it's made just for me..But bear this in mind It was meant to be...And I'm joining up the dots with the freckles on your cheeks...And it all makes sense to me _

Lauren and joey had pretty much stayed in the bedroom all afternoon. That was until they got a phone call from max, he didn't sound very happy at all, so they thought it was best to hurry up and go see what had him in such a bad mood.

They walked over to the car lot hand in hand, smiling as they saw max. "What's gone off here today?" Max snapped. Lauren furrowed her eyebrows together. "Nothing" she said. "My office is trashed Lauren!" He snapped, "don't shout at me! It's not my fault you left me in there by myself and some psycho turns up demanding his money back for a dodgy car you sold him!" Lauren snapped back.

Joey stood there awkwardly, he didn't wanna get into an argument with max over Lauren, but he would if he had to.

"Ay?" He frowned. "Some guy was her and he threatened Lauren and backed her into the corner cause she wouldn't give him a refund" joey said.

Max sighed. "How did it lead to this?" He asked waving his arm in the direction of the office. "Well joey was about to chuck him out but uncle Derek turned up and said he'd sort it and he told us to go home" Lauren said.

Max sighed again. "Of course, Derek" he said. "Right you may as well go home then, I'll sort this out" max said.

"Daddy!" Someone shouted. Lauren and max turned their heads to see a young girl running towards joey. "Daddy?" Max asked. "Oh yeah joey has a daughter" Lauren said. Max stared at joey for a couple of seconds. "You two just keep the surprises coming don't ya?" He laughed.

Joey smiled and then caught daisy. "Hello darling" he said, bending down to hug her. "Can I see the new house?" She asked. "Of course we can, hey daisy this is Lauren" joey said.

Daisy looked up to a smiling Lauren. "Hello Lauren" daisy politely said. "Hi daisy" Lauren smiled. "You know my name?" She asked. Lauren giggled.

"Yep your daddy told me lots about you" Lauren smiled. "He told me lots about you too" daisy giggled. "Oh did he now? What did he say?" Lauren asked.

"He said you are beautiful and funny and that he loves you lots" daisy said. Lauren smiled up at joey and then at daisy.

"Right cheeky, wanna see your new bedroom?" Joey asked daisy. "Yay!" She said excitedly causing everyone to laugh. "Come on then" joey said. "Joe, I'm gonna stay here and help dad clean up" Lauren said.

Joey frowned. "Babe, just because Daisy's here you don't need to be pushed out" joey said. "I know, but you two need time to you know bond for a bit, I'll be over in a couple of hours" Lauren smiled.

"Come on daddy" daisy moaned, pulling on joeys hand. Lauren giggled at her pulling a cute face.

"Okay love you" joey said pecking Lauren's lips. "Love you" Lauren said as joey and daisy started to walk off.

"Bye bye Lauren" daisy shouted just as Lauren was about to walk into the office. Lauren's face broke into a smile. "Bye daisy" Lauren said, max smiled at his daughter as she once more seemed to be walking on cloud nine.

**So I'm sorry... I know this is a rubbish chapter but between studying and working, it's all I could manage today... Leave a review please.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter thirty three **

_Show me your fears...show me your scars..I'll take whatever's left of your heart...Give me heaven...give me hell...All the dreams you try to sell...I want your fears, your hopes...The whole kaleidoscope _

After helping max clean the office up Lauren made her way over to joeys flat, wondering whether she was doing the right thing or not.

She knocked on the door and waited for an answer. The door opened to reveal daisy. "Oh hi daisy" Lauren smiled. "Hiya Lauren" daisy grinned. Daisy opened the door wider "are you coming in?" She asked. "Is your daddy in sweetheart?" Lauren asked her.

Daisy thought about it for a moment. "Daddy!" She shouted at the top of her lungs causing Lauren to laugh. Joey appeared at the doorway smiling when he saw Lauren.

"Alright babe? Coming in?" Joey asked. "Actually I wanted to talk" Lauren told him.

"Everything alright?" He asked. "Yeah course" she smiled. "Well come in then" he laughed.

Lauren laughed too and walked into the flat.

.JL.

Joey walked into the living room with two hot chocolates in hand. "Right Daisy's upstairs deciding in how were decorating her room" he said rolling his eyes, Lauren laughing.

"So me and you can talk" joey smiled before quickly pecking Lauren's lips. "Are you sure you don't mind me being here joey.. You know now Daisy's here, I don't wanna intrude" Lauren said. Joey frowned at her.

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?" He asked Lauren. She nodded her head and joey sighed. "Lauren I love you, I want you and daisy, your not intruding babe, your my girlfriend" he said.

"I know but I just-" she began. "No buts babe, your not intruding" joey said. "Okay" Lauren smiled, placing her hot chocolate on the coffee table. "Plus daisy already likes you and she's only going to like you more once she gets to know you better" joey told her. "I hope so" Lauren sighed.

"So do I get a hello kiss now?" Joey asked, looking at the ceiling causing Lauren to giggle.

"Yes"

Lauren leant up and pressed her lips onto joeys, their lips worked together in sync and joey licked the length of Lauren's bottom lip.

She opened her mouth and joeys tongue swept in to meet her own, they worked together and Lauren felt joeys hand slide under her top and grip her waist

. "Err daddy" daisy said stood just behind the pair. Joey and Lauren quickly broke apart gasping for air and laughing at daisy.

Joey lifted daisy onto his lap as she miles at Lauren. "Go on then" he told daisy, rolling his eyes. Daisy giggled and Lauren furrowed her eyebrows together. "Lauren can I ask you a question?" Daisy asked. "Course you can" Lauren smiled.

"Would you come here and live with me and my daddy? I think it will be really good cause my daddy loves you lots and I like you too and I think soon I will love you lots too" daisy smiled brightly.

Lauren was stunned by Daisy's little speech, she looked at joey and she saw him grinning back at her.

"I was going to ask you but daisy insisted she did it invade I did it wrong" joey said.

"Well sometimes boys are stupid and girls have to make it better" daisy told Lauren. Lauren laughed at daisy as joey frowned. "Yes your right there" Lauren laughed.

"So?" Joey asked. "Yes I will move in with you" Lauren said. Joey gasped more for Daisy's sake as she squealed, before high fiving her. "Yay!" Daisy squealed jumping over to Lauren to hug her, taking them all by surprise.

Lauren smiled into the hug and daisy held one of her arms out letting joey know he should join in too.

**This was the last chapter of this story... It was originally going to be longer but I've read through it today and it is so bad and even more badly written.. So I decided to finish it. I will be doing another but not for a while yet.. I'm gonna write the whole story out before I start updating so I probably won't have that up for at least a month or two.. Thank you for everyone that has reviewed.**


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